- Agelaius phoeniceus
Identification
Male
- Small blackbird
- Jet-black body
- Bright red shoulder patches (epaulets) edged with yellow
Female and Juvenile
Heavily streaked brown overall, sometimes mistaken for a large sparrow, but note "blackbird" bill and strong streaking along body.
Similar Species
Easily confused with the Tricolored Blackbird.
Distribution
Breeds from Alaska east across Canada to Newfoundland and south to northern Baja California, central Mexico, the Gulf coast, and Florida.
Taxonomy
The Red-shouldered Blackbird from Cuba was formerly considered a subspecies of the Red-winged Blackbird.
Polytypic. Consists of about 25 subspecies.
Habitat
Preferred habitats include fresh and saltwater marshes, rice paddies, sedge meadows, alfalfa fields, and other croplands.
Behaviour
Breeding
Although primarily a marsh bird, the Red-winged Blackbird will nest near virtually any body of water and occasionally breeds in upland pastures. Each pair raises two or three broods a season, building new nest for each clutch. Each pair raises two or three broods a season, building a new nest for each clutch. Each time they build a new nest, which keeps the nest from becoming infected with parasites that could kill the baby birds
After the breeding season, the birds gather with other blackbirds in flocks, sometimes numbering in the hundreds of thousands. Although blackbirds are often considered pests because they consume grain in cultivated fields, farmers benefit because the birds consume harmful insects during the nesting season.
Vocalisation
Song
Composed of a series of introductory notes konk-la-ree or gurr-ga-leee followed by a terminal buzz or trill.
Call
Short and relatively simple - low clack, sharp nasal deekk, and metallic tink.
Discussion
• During migration the Red-winged Blackbird can travel at over 30 mph.
• The Red-winged Blackbird is native to North America. English Settlers in the year 1600 mentioned seeing this bird.
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