Red-Winged Blackbird was originally published in the BFEC Newsletter, Vol. 17/No. 2, Spring 2013.
Looking for something to do at the BFEC? Go no further than the four small ponds located next to the Resource Center, where you're likely to find a bevy of busy red-winged blackbirds.
The bird's shoulder patches are bright red and yellow; combined with its otherwise black body, these birds easy to spot as they fly back and forth to our ponds. Females weave together cattail stalks to build basket-like nests above the water.
Red-winged blackbirds are one of the most abundant birds in North America, and also one of the earliest migrants to return from southern wintering grounds. Though they sometimes arrive the late February snow, their strident "conk-a-ree" call is a true harbinger of spring.
Redwings are polygamous; males may mate with five females and form a loose colony. This habit, which is visible at the BFEC, may reduce nest predation by increasing the number of alert parents. Building a well-concealed nest above water may also help.