Red-winged blackbirds are a common sight across much of North and Central America. They are found in open, wet habitats across most of the United States and Canada during warmer months. Read on to learn more about the range and habitat of these familiar blackbirds with bright red shoulder patches.
Quick Facts
Here are some key facts about where red-winged blackbirds live:
- Found across much of North and Central America
- Live in open, wet habitats like marshes and wet meadows
- Summer range extends across Canada and most of the continental United States
- Some populations migrate south for winter, while others stay year-round in warmer southern regions
- Rare along southwestern coast and in driest desert regions of the west
Summer Range
Red-winged blackbirds breed across most of North America from Alaska and Canada south to northern Florida and central Mexico. Their summer range extends:
- North: Across central and western Alaska and central and eastern Canada
- South: Throughout the continental United States except for southwestern deserts and the driest areas of the western states
- Some isolated breeding populations in Central America from Guatemala to Panama
In summer, redwings are found anywhere with suitable wetland habitat across this broad range. They are absent from only the driest desert regions of the southwest and areas along the immediate Pacific coast.
Distribution in Canada and Alaska
Red-winged blackbirds breed from western and central Alaska across most of Canada except for northern parts of the Yukon, Northwest Territories, Quebec and Labrador. Their Canadian range extends:
- West to northeastern British Columbia, eastern Yukon and central Alaska
- East across all provinces and territories to Newfoundland and Labrador
- North to around 60°N latitude, near Great Bear Lake and Hudson Bay
They are widespread and abundant summer residents across much of southern Canada, becoming more localized and spotty far to the north. Isolated breeding records extend to the treeline in central Northwest Territories.
Distribution in the Continental United States
Red-winged blackbirds nest throughout the lower 48 United States except for swaths of the arid southwest. Their U.S. breeding distribution includes:
- West coast from Washington south to central California, becoming more localized along the immediate Pacific coast
- Northeast/New England from Maine south to northern Florida
- Midwest and Great Plains from Minnesota south to eastern New Mexico and Texas
- Isolated breeding sites extend south to central Mexico along both coasts
They are found statewide during summer across the eastern U.S. but become scarcer in drier habitats west of the Rocky Mountains. Redwings avoid the harshest deserts of Arizona, New Mexico, Nevada and inland southern California.
Winter Range
The winter range of red-winged blackbirds depends on location. Some populations migrate south for winter while others remain year-round in warmer regions:
- Southern populations from California to Carolinas are typically permanent residents
- Northern populations migrate south; eastern birds mainly to southeastern states, western birds to southwest and Mexico
- Rare but regular in winter as far north as southern Ontario and Quebec
The species is widespread across the southern U.S. year-round and migratory populations swell these numbers during winter months. They are rare in northern areas during winter except for occasional overwintering birds when conditions allow.
Winter Range in Southern States
From California east to the Carolinas, red-winged blackbirds are year-round residents. Winter populations in these states are swollen by migrants from farther north. Their core southern wintering range includes:
- Pacific coast from central California to Baja California
- Gulf coast from southern Texas to Florida panhandle
- Souther interior from California’s Central Valley and Arizona south to central Mexico
Red-winged blackbirds may be found throughout these southern regions all winter, inhabiting freshwater marshes, wet agricultural fields, grasslands, and suburban areas with suitable wet habitat.
Migratory Populations
More northern breeding populations migrate south for winter. Migration patterns include:
- Northeastern birds migrate to southeastern states
- Upper Midwest birds migrate to Texas and coastal Mexico
- Western birds migrate from Pacific Northwest/British Columbia to southwest states and Mexico
Migrants typically arrive on their southern wintering grounds between September and November and make the return trip in March through May. Harsher winters occasionally push some individuals as far south as Guatemala.
Year-Round Habitat
Freshwater marshes provide ideal year-round habitat across the red-winged blackbird’s range. Other wetland habitats commonly occupied year-round include:
- Wet meadows
- Flooded agricultural fields
- Swamps and wet woodlands
- Freshwater lake shores
- Slow-flowing rivers and streams
- Reservoirs
- Rice paddies (where available)
- Coastal estuaries and lagoons
Redwings favor sites with tall reeds or other emergent vegetation for nesting and night roosting. Access to open water or mudflats for foraging is also ideal habitat.
Breeding Habitat Preferences
During the breeding season, red-winged blackbirds prefer wetlands with:
- Still or slow-moving shallow water
- Abundant vegetation like cattails for nesting substrate
- Adjacent open spaces for foraging, such as fields or lawns
They often nest in large colonies in protected areas of freshwater marshes or wet meadows. Ideal breeding sites provide a mix of nesting habitat, foraging areas, and open water.
Winter Habitat
In winter, redwings utilize a broader variety of open, rural habitats including:
- Grain fields and agricultural areas
- Grasslands
- Pastures
- Rural neighborhoods
- Parks and open fields
As long as suitable night roosting sites are available in nearby wetlands, red-winged blackbirds may forage across a wide range of habitats in winter.
Geographic Range Limits
What limits the red-winged blackbird’s range? This species is notably rare or absent from certain areas within its broader range:
- Southwestern deserts
- Great Basin of Nevada/Utah
- Dry interior valleys of the Pacific Northwest
- Northernmost boreal forests and tundra
The blackbird’s strong association with wetland habitats makes it ill-suited to persist in drier areas. It is also rare in coniferous boreal forest far from wetlands.
Sensitivity to Arid Climates
Red-winged blackbirds rely on wetland habitats and access to open water year-round. They are rare or absent from areas lacking these required resources, including:
- Mojave and Sonoran Deserts of California, Arizona and New Mexico
- Chihuahuan Desert of West Texas and Mexico
- Great Basin desert of Nevada and western Utah
The combination of low rainfall and few wetland oases excludes breeding populations from these arid regions. Red-winged blackbirds are far more widespread just to the north and south in areas with more ample wetlands.
Scarcity in Northern Boreal Forests
At the northern limits of their range, red-winged blackbirds are restricted by lack of suitable wetland nesting habitat within vast boreal forest regions. They are only sporadically encountered far north of 60°N, as the boreal zone transitions to treeless tundra. Large wetland complexes become increasingly scattered and isolated north of the taiga in central Canada. Red-winged blackbirds require these less common northern wetlands for nest sites and are much less numerous in the vast coniferous forests between.
Ecological Niche
Red-winged blackbirds occupy an important ecological role connecting aquatic and terrestrial food webs as abundant wetland residents across North America. Key aspects of their niche include:
- Foraging on insects, seeds from aquatic vegetation, grains from fields
- Serving as prey for raptors, wading birds, snakes, mammals
- Consuming many insect pests
- Facilitating seed dispersal and pollination
- Assisting nutrient cycling between wetlands and uplands
Their varied diet links aquatic resources like cattails and lilies to drier grassland and farmland ecosystems. And as abundant prey, redwings help support substantial raptor and mammal populations across wetland habitats.
Key Prey Species
The abundance and wide distribution of red-winged blackbirds makes them important prey for many predators including:
- Hawks – Northern harriers, red-tailed hawks, rough-legged hawks
- Falcons – peregrine falcons, prairie falcons, merlins
- Owls – short-eared owls, snowy owls, barred owls
- Wading birds – herons, egrets, bitterns
- Mammals – raccoons, skunks, foxes
- Snakes – garter snakes, water snakes
Red-winged blackbirds may account for a substantial percentage of prey biomass forwetland raptors during spring and summer. Their abundance helps sustain robust predator populations.
Pest Control Services
Redwings provide valuable services to farmers by consuming insect pests in both larval and adult forms. Documented pests eaten by redwings include:
- Beetles – weevils, leaf beetles
- Moths and butterflies – cutworms, corn earworm
- True bugs – Lygus bugs, stink bugs
- Flies – midges, crane flies
- Spiders
By reducing crop damage caused by these arthropods, red-winged blackbirds may provide billions of dollars in economic value each year.
Habitat Threats
Wetland habitats used by red-winged blackbirds have declined substantially since European settlement. Ongoing threats include:
- Draining and filling of wetlands for development
- Agricultural conversion
- Altered hydrology from dams, diversions, etc.
- Runoff pollution from farms and cities
- Invasive species crowding out native vegetation
- Sea level rise along coasts
It is estimated over 50% of wetlands have been lost in settled areas. Remaining wetlands continue to face pressures from human land and water demands.
Wetland Drainage for Agriculture
Across the Midwest and coastal plains, millions of acres of marsh were historically drained for cropland. By one estimate, Iowa has lost over 95% of original wetland acreage. Similar drainage occurred across much of the eastern Dakotas and Great Lakes states, destroying prime redwing habitat.
Urban Development
Expanding cities have eliminated many wetlands through direct filling or indirect hydrology disruptions. Classic examples include San Francisco Bay, California and Puget Sound, Washington – both former redwing strongholds. Urban sprawl continues to threaten wetlands across North America today.
Invasive Species
Introduced plants like phragmites and purple loosestrife can degrade wetlands by crowding out diverse native vegetation. Redwings prefer habitats with a rich mix of sedges, grasses and reeds. Invasive monocultures reduce plant diversity and habitat quality.
Conservation
Several initiatives aim to protect wetlands and red-winged blackbird populations. These include:
- Legal protections like the Clean Water Act limiting wetland destruction
- Government incentives to preserve wetlands on private lands
- Wetland restoration and creation projects
- Control of invasive plants to improve habitat
- Sustainable grazing plans around wetlands
- Watershed management to maintain wetland hydrology
Combined with public education on wetland values, these efforts can maintain redwing populations into the future.
Protected Wetland Reserves
Federal, state and private natural areas protect remaining high quality wetlands and provide permanent redwing habitat. Notable protected wetlands include:
- National Wildlife Refuges – Tule Lake NWR, CA; Upper Mississippi River NWR, MN to IA
- State Reserves – Big River State Forest, RI; Boundary Waters, MN
- Private Reserves – Grass River, MI; Cheyenne Bottoms, KS
Continued land protection in key wetlands can insure redwings always have suitable breeding and migration habitat.
Wetlands Mitigation Banking
Policies require wetlands lost to development must be replaced elsewhere. While inferior to original habitat, constructed wetlands provide new redwing nesting areas near cities.
Research Priorities
While red-winged blackbirds are well-studied, knowledge gaps remain. Future research priorities include:
- Winter movements of migratory populations using banding and tracking
- Effects of wetland contaminants on reproduction and survival
- Managing invasive plants while minimizing harm to redwings
- Strategies to reduce crop damage while protecting habitat
- Climate change impacts on wetlands across the range
Filling these research needs will help inform ongoing wetland and red-winged blackbird conservation efforts.
Conclusion
Red-winged blackbirds hold an iconic place in North American wetlands. Their vast breeding range covers most of Canada and the United States. While some southern populations persist year-round, northern populations migrate south for winter. Redwings play important ecological roles in wetland food webs as both consumers and prey. Despite habitat losses, they remain abundant through much of their range due to adaptability. But continued conservation action is needed to protect essential wetland ecosystems and maintain red-winged blackbird populations into the future.