Facts on the Red Wing Blackbird

The red-winged blackbird (Agelaius phoeniceus) is native to North America. It gets its name because the males of the species have a bright red patch on their wings. They are found throughout most of North America year-round, but breed mostly in Canada. Red-winged blackbirds are common and even have been killed off in some instances to cut down on crop predation.

  1. Identification

    • Red-winged blackbirds grow from 7 to 9.5 inches long with a wingspan of 12 to 14.5 inches and weigh about 2.5 ounces. They are distinct from other blackbirds because they are the only ones with red coloration on their wings. The birds have a wide variety of calls ranging from a whistle to a loud "Okalee" sound in spring. When flying, red-winged blackbirds can reach speeds of 17 to 28 miles per hour.

    Habitat

    • Red-winged blackbirds are found in many habitats, but they nest mainly in marshes and feed in fields. They prefer marshland with emergent vegetation. Most of the red-winged blackbird's diet is made up of seeds, but the birds will also feed on small insects, especially during the breeding season. Red-winged blackbirds have many predators, ranging from foxes and bobcats to hawks and owls. Blue jays and crows are the main predators of their eggs and young.

    Life Cycle

    • Red-winged blackbirds do not mate for life. Males often stay in the same territory, but females will typically move from place to place. Red-winged blackbirds make their nests primarily from cattails and other dead plant matter. They lay three or four pale blue, spotted eggs at a time. Gestation takes about 11 or 12 days once the eggs are laid. After 10 days in the nest, the young red-winged blackbirds will jump from the nest.

    Migration

    • Most red-winged blackbirds stay in the same place throughout the year. Those that breed in the north migrate to the southern United States and into Mexico during colder months. Those that do migrate north begin in the middle of February and reach Canada by the beginning of March. Males typically arrive at the breeding grounds a little bit earlier than females.