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.