The Red-winged Blackbird is common year round to the south, but seasonal here where the arrival of its bubbly song heralds the return of spring. They are then mainly found around marshes where they eat seeds and insects.
The bird is named for the male, which is indeed black with red (and yellow) epaulettes.
Females are a streaky brown, more reminiscent of a large sparrow.
A male Red-winged Blackbird in a marsh hunts insects from a bullrush.
great pictures. I love them as they are my indication spring is here!
Alistair,
Are the photos taken at your place recently? They’ve been at Lakeside Park playing fields for well over a month now and I so enjoy seeing them and listening to their song.
Birthe, they were taken yesterday at Duck Bay (just east of the mall).
Which is exactly where I see them every day. It is great to have your photos, thanks for sharing
Absolutely beautiful… Do love the third photo. Thank you so much Alistair. I took some more of the Red-winged Blackbird male at South Taghum this afternoon.
This is such an amazing photograph! The clarity is incredible. Look at those feet! I just can’t stop looking at it…. LOVE.
Thanks so much for this. Like Birthe we look out for him every Spring but could only guess which was his mate. Now we know. Thank you.