
Male is familiar and distinctive throughout North America, all black with an obvious red shoulder patch bordered by pale yellow. Females are patterned entirely in brown, buff, and warm rufous tones, heavily streaked underneath, scalloped on the back, and often misidentified as sparrows or finches; note the pointy bill and reddish tones in the wings. Both sexes very similar to Tricolored Blackbird of California, but Tricolored male has gleaming white border to darker blood-red shoulder patch and female is mostly charcoal gray, without rufous or buffy tones.
Length: 22 (cm) Wingspan: 33 (cm)
Voice:
Male's song commonly conk-a-REEer, ending in a harsh trill; call is a low chuck.
Habitat:
Marshes, wetlands, meadows, edges of ponds and lakes.
Behavior:
Males sing from exposed perches, holding wings out to flare the red shoulder patches. Nest is an open cup of grasses lined with fine plant materials and woven to upright stems. Forms large flocks in winter, often with other blackbirds, cowbirds, grackles, and starlings.
Feeding:
Feeds on ground and low vegetation; eats seeds and insects. Sometimes visits bird feeders.
Field Notes
Expanded Life History
Feed Ecology And Diet | Contribute Content |
Nesting Habits | Contribute Content |
Migration Status | Contribute Content |
Conservation Status | Contribute Content |
Local Sites to Spot | Contribute Content |
Abundance Status | Contribute Content |
Adult Male Description | Contribute Content |
Adult Female Description | Contribute Content |
ITIS Taxonomic Number | Contribute Content |
Sonogram | Contribute Content |
Courtship | Contribute Content |
Reproductive Characteristics | Contribute Content |
Relationship to Humans | Contribute Content |
ID Tips - Size & Shape | Contribute Content |
ID Tips - Color & Pattern | Contribute Content |
ID Tips - Habitat | Contribute Content |
ID Tips - Behavior | Contribute Content |
ID Tips - Wingspan | Contribute Content |
ID Tips - Weight | Contribute Content |
Breeding | Contribute Content |
Cool Facts | Contribute Content |
Local Knowledge | Contribute Content |
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Sightings
Date | Submitted By | Count |
---|---|---|
09/25/18 | Steven Mauvais, OR | # |
09/18/18 | Steven Mauvais, OR | # |
09/11/18 | Steven Mauvais, OR | # |
09/11/18 | Steven Mauvais, OR | # |
09/04/18 | Steven Mauvais, OR | # |
09/04/18 | Steven Mauvais, OR | # |
08/28/18 | Steven Mauvais, OR | # |
08/28/18 | Steven Mauvais, OR | # |
08/28/18 | Steven Mauvais, OR | # |
08/21/18 | Steven Mauvais, OR | # |
08/21/18 | Steven Mauvais, OR | # |
08/14/18 | Steven Mauvais, OR | # |
08/14/18 | Steven Mauvais, OR | # |
08/07/18 | Steven Mauvais, OR | # |
08/07/18 | Steven Mauvais, OR | # |
Recent Activity
Activity | Date & Time |
---|---|
dawn villaescusa added Red-winged Blackbird to their Dead Indian Rd and Howard Prairie Lake area, Jacks smart list | 6/02/2013 at 8:03PM |
Sundee Meyer added Red-winged Blackbird to their Gilcrease Orchard smart list | 11/04/2012 at 11:59AM |
Joshua Kelver added Red-winged Blackbird to their West Virginia smart list | 3/26/2012 at 8:30AM |
Joshua Kelver added Red-winged Blackbird to their Waynesburg, PA smart list | 3/26/2012 at 8:28AM |
Matthew Cross added Red-winged Blackbird to their Waynesburg Pa smart list | 3/26/2012 at 7:44AM |
Sandy Leaptrott added Red-winged Blackbird to their Salish Ponds, City of FairView, Multnomah County, smart list | 3/06/2012 at 4:52PM |
Mary Ratcliff added Red-winged Blackbird to their The Cove, Seaside smart list | 2/19/2012 at 8:11PM |
Jacob Parks added Red-winged Blackbird to their Vanport Wetlands smart list | 11/02/2011 at 12:45AM |
Dan Mitchell added Red-winged Blackbird to their Ridgefield National Wildlife Refuge, Washington smart list | 7/18/2011 at 8:11PM |