Red-winged Blackbird
Agelaius phoeniceus
Also called redwing.
One of the most abundant birds in North America, and the female is one of the most misidentified. She is heavily streaked and sparrow-like but far too large, with a long sharp bill.
- Size
- Robin to jay — 22–24 cm
- Bill
- Thin and pointed
- Where
- marsh, open field, feeder
- Season
- year round, summer
What it looks like
The male is glossy black with a scarlet shoulder patch bordered below in yellow. The female is dark brown and heavily streaked, looking like a large sparrow.
The checks that confirm it
- Male: black with red-and-yellow shoulders, though the red can be hidden when not displaying.
- Female: heavily streaked dark brown, with a pale eyebrow and a long pointed bill.
- Sings from the top of a cattail or a fence post with wings spread and tail fanned.
- Almost always near water or wet ground in the breeding season.
Voice
A gurgling 'conk-la-ree' ending in a trill, and a sharp 'check'.
Attracting it
Mixed seed and cracked corn on the ground. They arrive in flocks and clear a feeder.
Confused with
Larger, iridescent, with a long keel-shaped tail and a pale yellow eye.
For the female: song sparrow is far smaller with a short conical bill and a central breast spot.
Questions about this bird
How do you identify a red-winged blackbird?
Male: black with red-and-yellow shoulders, though the red can be hidden when not displaying. Female: heavily streaked dark brown, with a pale eyebrow and a long pointed bill.
What does a red-winged blackbird sound like?
A gurgling 'conk-la-ree' ending in a trill, and a sharp 'check'.
How do you attract a red-winged blackbird?
Mixed seed and cracked corn on the ground. They arrive in flocks and clear a feeder.