Red-winged Blackbird
Agelaius phoeniceus
A marshland and wet-meadow songbird often seen clinging to cattails, reeds, and fence wires across North America. It feeds mainly on seeds and insects, shifting with the season between grain, weed seeds, beetles, caterpillars, and other small invertebrates. Males defend nesting territories aggressively, flashing red-and-yellow shoulder patches while calling and sometimes dive-bombing much larger intruders. Females are streaky brown and nest low in dense vegetation, weaving cup nests among reeds or shrubs.
- Type
- Wing
- Conservation status
- LC
Growth chain
- Red-winged Blackbird Nestling
- Red-winged Blackbird Fledgling
- Red-winged Blackbird