A blackbird with a bright red chest is likely a Red-winged Blackbird. The Red-winged Blackbird is a common and widespread bird in North and Central America. It is a medium-sized bird that is mostly black with bright red and yellow shoulder patches that are visible when the wings are spread. The female is a streaky brown and lacks the bright shoulder colors.
Where are Red-winged Blackbirds found?
Red-winged Blackbirds have an extensive range across much of North and Central America. They are found from southern Alaska across Canada and the United States down through Mexico, Central America and into parts of the Caribbean. Red-winged Blackbirds are abundant nearly everywhere within their range, especially in wetland areas. They are migratory birds, spending the breeding season in northern areas and then migrating south for the winter.
Breeding Range
During the breeding season, Red-winged Blackbirds can be found:
- Throughout Alaska except for the northernmost region
- Across all of Canada
- Throughout the continental United States, except for the driest areas of the southwest
Wintering Range
In the winter months, Red-winged Blackbirds migrate to:
- The southern United States from California east to Florida
- Mexico
- Central America
- Caribbean Islands including Cuba, Jamaica, Hispaniola, and Puerto Rico
What is the habitat of the Red-winged Blackbird?
Red-winged Blackbirds inhabit open, wet environments. Typical habitats include:
- Marshes
- Swamps
- Edges of ponds and lakes
- Wet fields
- Ditches
- Flooded agricultural fields
They prefer areas with tall vegetation, such as cattails and bulrushes, where they can perch and build nests. During migration and in winter, Red-winged Blackbirds also forage in more open areas like agricultural fields, rice paddies, and grasslands.
What does a Red-winged Blackbird look like?
The breeding male Red-winged Blackbird is an unmistakable bird with jet black plumage and bright red and yellow shoulder patches. The female is brown with black streaks. Distinctive features include:
- Male: All black plumage with bright red shoulder patches (“epaulets”) edged with yellow
- Female: Brown plumage heavily streaked with black. Indistinct pale stripes over the eye.
- Both: Conical bill, fairly long and pointed tail
The males display their colorful shoulder patches when perched by puffing up their feathers. Their epaulets are used to attract females and defend territories. When the wings are folded, the male appears entirely black.
Male Red-winged Blackbird
Color | Description |
---|---|
Body | Jet black |
Shoulder patches (“epaulets”) | Bright red with yellow edges |
Bill | Pointed and silver-gray |
Female Red-winged Blackbird
Color | Description |
---|---|
Body | Brown with heavy black streaks |
Face | Pale stripes over eyes |
Bill | Pointed and silver-gray |
What size is the Red-winged Blackbird?
Red-winged Blackbirds are medium-sized songbirds. Their sizes are:
- Length: 6.7 to 9.1 inches (17 to 23 cm)
- Wingspan: 12.2 to 15.8 inches (31 to 40 cm)
- Weight: 1.1 to 2.7 ounces (32 to 77 g)
Males tend to be slightly larger than females. Body size also varies across the range, with larger birds in the northern areas.
What do Red-winged Blackbirds eat?
Red-winged Blackbirds are omnivorous, feeding on both plant and animal material. Their diet consists of:
- Seeds and grains
- Berries, fruits, and nuts
- Insects, spiders, snails
- Frogs, lizards, eggs, nestlings of other birds
Seeds and grains make up the majority of their diet. They forage on the ground and in vegetation for seeds, fruits and insects. Red-wings also hawk flying insects in the air.
Food in Breeding Range
In their breeding range, Red-winged Blackbirds feed heavily on:
- Cattail seeds
- Weed seeds
- Corn, rice, oats, wheat from agricultural areas
- Aquatic insects, dragonflies, damselflies
Food in Wintering Range
In their wintering range, they eat:
- Rice, sorghum, corn
- Weed seeds
- Berries from palms and hackberry trees
- Insects like grasshoppers, beetles, caterpillars
What is the Red-winged Blackbird’s call?
Male Red-winged Blackbirds are vocal birds with a loud, ringing call described as conk-la-ree. They use their calls to advertise and defend territories. Females may give a soft chuckling call.
Other Red-winged Blackbird sounds include:
- Loud check and whine notes when disturbed
- Harsh jay-like rattles when alarmed
- Soft gurgling notes when feeding
How does the Red-winged Blackbird attract a mate?
Male Red-winged Blackbirds use several strategies to attract females in the breeding season:
- Defend territories with song – Males sing loudly from perches and chase away intruders
- Display bright shoulder patches – They point their epaulets at females to show off
- Display flight – With slow, buoyant flight, they spread tails and show off reddish shoulder patches
- Feed potential mates – Offering food demonstrates ability to provide
Females visit multiple males before choosing one to mate with. Preference is shown for males that hold better territories and show brighter plumage.
Courtship Displays
Courtship displays include:
- Puffing: Male puffs up feathers to better display shoulder patches
- Bounding flights: Male flies up with deep wing beats and floats down gently
- High flights: Male flies high in circles, hovering and drifting down
Where does the Red-winged Blackbird nest?
Red-winged Blackbirds nest in wetland vegetation, often over or near water. Nests are built:
- In cattails, bulrushes, sedges
- In shrubs and small trees like willows
- On floating nest platforms in marshes
- In agricultural fields in hay bales or corn stalks
The female chooses the nest site and does most of the construction. She weaves grasses, sedges, and wetland vegetation into a basket-shaped nest typically 1.5-3.5 inches tall.
Nesting Facts
Nest Height | 2 to 6 feet off the ground |
---|---|
Nest Materials | Grasses, sedges, cattails |
Nest Construction | Built by female |
Clutch Size | 2-5 eggs |
Incubation | 11-14 days by female |
Nestling Period | 10-14 days |
How many broods do Red-winged Blackbirds raise?
Red-winged Blackbirds are prolific breeders, raising 1-3 broods per breeding season. Nesting timeline:
- First nests starts in late April/early May
- Second nest may start in late May/early June
- Third nesting in July
Nests with eggs or young are often destroyed by predators or weather. Females will readily build a new nest and lay another clutch. Some pairs can successfully raise up to three broods in a season.
Number of Broods by Range
Range | Number of Broods |
---|---|
Northern | 1-2 broods |
Central | 2-3 broods |
Southern | 2-3 broods |
Harsher conditions in the far north limit birds there to a single brood. Further south, the longer breeding season and abundant food enables more frequent nesting.
What risks and threats face Red-winged Blackbirds?
Red-winged Blackbirds still have large populations across North America, but face some key threats:
- Habitat loss: Draining and development of wetlands
- Pesticides: Exposure on wintering grounds
- Climate change: Increased droughts and habitat changes
- Collisions: With vehicles and structures during migrations
They are considered a pest by some farmers for eating grain crops. Poisoning and shooting blackbirds in agricultural areas was common in the past, but federal laws now prohibit killing or poisoning blackbirds without a permit.
Conservation Status
IUCN Red List | Least Concern |
---|---|
Federal Protection | Migratory Bird Treaty Act |
Where can I see a Red-winged Blackbird?
Red-winged Blackbirds can be found across much of North and Central America in wetland habitats. Some top spots include:
- Freshwater marshes – Look for birds perched on cattails
- Edges of ponds and wet fields – Listen for their calls carrying from perches
- Rice fields and grain crops – Large winter flocks feed on seeds
- Roadside ditches – Common to see them searching for food
In winter and migration, Red-wings form large flocks up to several thousand birds. They congregate instaging areas and communal roosts, sometimes with other blackbird species.
Ways to Attract Red-winged Blackbirds
You can attract Red-winged Blackbirds to your backyard by:
- Putting up bird feeders stocked with sunflower seeds, millet, and cracked corn
- Planting native plants that produce seeds and berries
- Providing open water like a birdbath or fountain
- Letting grasses grow tall to mimic wetland habitat
- Installing nest boxes suited for blackbirds
Offering food and habitat will draw these birds into your area!
Conclusion
The Red-winged Blackbird is one of the most widespread and familiar bird species in North America. Males are unmistakable with their jet black plumage marked with bright red and yellow shoulder patches. Females are brown and streaky. Red-wings inhabit wetlands across much of the continent and migrate in huge flocks. Watch and listen for these birds in marshes, fields, and backyards wherever you live!