Main Species
Red-winged Blackbird
Breeding male (Red-winged)
Stocky, broad-shouldered blackbird with a slender, conical bill. Males have a red shoulder patch bordered in yellow.
© Phil Kahler | Macaulay LibraryOregon, May 13, 2017Female (Red-winged)
Stocky, broad-shouldered blackbird with a slender, conical bill. Females are brown and heavily streaked overall with a yellowish wash around the bill.
© David Trescak | Macaulay LibraryQuebec, March 05, 2017Breeding male (Red-winged)
Displaying males sit on cattails and other high perches, spreading their wings and puffing out their shoulder patches while singing and calling.
© Timothy G Laman | Macaulay LibraryMassachusetts, April 19, 2009Nonbreeding male (Red-winged)
Nonbreeding males often look scaly and have incomplete red shoulder patches.
© Scott Martin | Macaulay LibraryMassachusetts, March 12, 2017Breeding male (California Bicolored)
Males in California lack the yellow border on the red shoulder patch.
© Steve Kelling | Macaulay LibraryCalifornia, February 19, 2016Female (Red-winged)
Often seen on the ground foraging or gathering nesting material. Females look very different from males, but have the same long, pointed bill and stocky stature. This video has no audio.
© Timothy Barksdale | Macaulay LibraryTexas, April 01, 1997Female (California Bicolored)
Female birds in California often have more cinnamon tones to their feathers and dark undertail coverts with less streaking.
© Brian Sullivan | Macaulay LibraryCalifornia, April 03, 2016Breeding male (Mexican Bicolored)
Birds breeding in Mexico lack the yellow border to the red shoulder patch.
© Anuar López | Macaulay LibraryMéxico, August 03, 2016Breeding male (Red-winged)
In addition to the male's "conk-la-ree" song, males and females make several calls including a harsh "check" note and a high, thin whistle.
© Eric S Liner | Macaulay LibraryNew York, January 01, 2008Breeding male (Red-winged)
Males spend much of the breeding season sitting on a high perch over their territories and singing their hearts out.
© Ian Davies | Macaulay LibraryMassachusetts, May 08, 2014Breeding male (Red-winged)
Males display by holding their wings out to show off the red shoulder patches.
© Jonathan Eckerson | Macaulay LibraryMassachusetts, February 25, 2017Flock
Forms large flocks in winter in marshes and open habitats, sometimes with other blackbird species.
© Brian L Sullivan | Macaulay LibraryMissouri, February 28, 2012Female (Red-winged)
Breeds in wetlands.
© Lewnanny Richardson | Macaulay LibraryNew Brunswick, July 07, 2016Flock
Flocks in the thousands with other blackbirds, grackles, cowbirds, and starlings.
© Ian Davies | Macaulay LibraryMassachusetts, March 01, 2014