Interesting facts about red-winged blackbirds

Red-winged blackbird singing on bullrush by a frozen pond, Kelowna.

  • RWBB are very territorial during breeding season and will stake out an area and patrol it diligently.
  • While some birds mate for life, RWBB are highly polygamous and will mate with up to 15 females.
  • In the photo above, the male RWBB is demonstrating his authority over his staked territory.
  • RWBB vary their diet with the season.  They take insects when they are available and will eat seeds and berries at other times.  I had one visiting my feeder taking sunflower seeds.
  • The red epaulettes on the wings of male RWBB grow brighter with age; females tend to seek out these larger patches as they denote a healthy, successful male.
  • After the nesting season is finished the birds join flocks, sometimes of hundreds of birds.  I once saw a large group of RWBB in a murmuration; they all turned at once and the sun suddenly reflected off their shoulder patches displaying a brilliant red patch in the sky for just a moment.  Click here to see a photo of such a gathering.
  • Marsh wrens will attack RWBB eggs; females may clump their nests together and actively defend them against would-be intruders.
  • Differences in RWBB populations tends to be about environmental differences and not genetics.
  • The oldest known RWBB was just shy of 16 years old.
  • RWBB have adapted well to humans.  Although they nest around marshy areas with lots of cover, they can be found nesting around golf courses and near human settlements.
There are many more interesting facts out there.

Thanks for reading.

Eric Svendsen     www.ericspix.com

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