Red-winged blackbirds are back in the area and sounding off

Posted March 02, 2023 5:00 am

By Jeff Reiter

Red-winged blackbirds return to the Chicago region in late February or early March. Males, like this one, arrive a few weeks before the brownish females. Courtesy of Christian Goers

Sometimes I like to nerd out on a specific bird. The challenge is to learn something new, and I always do.

Today's focus is the red-winged blackbird, a perfectly named harbinger of spring in northern Illinois. The glossy-black males with scarlet shoulder patches (or "epaulets") are now returning from the southern U.S., establishing territories in preparation for mating season.

Their exuberant "konk-la-reeeee!" is a classic sound of the marsh. Female birds arrive about two weeks after the males.

The redwing is highly adaptable. It thrives in a variety of habitats, even low-quality ones, and adjusts its diet to the season. These traits, along with a hyperactive sex drive, make it one of the most abundant birds in North America, found coast-to-coast, from freshwater wetlands and farm fields to bird feeders and ditches along the interstate.

Author Pete Dunne said it best: "For much or all of the year, most of us are never far from a red-winged blackbird."

Indeed, as with American robins, some redwings hang around here all winter. Thirty-seven were tallied on a Christmas Bird Count I attended in late December.

Tons of research exists on the red-winged blackbird. Apparently it is one of the most studied species on the planet.

One thing you may already know is that redwings are famously aggressive during nesting season. From mid-May through July, the males let you know when you are too close to a nest. Agitated birds hover over human intruders, scolding loudly with harsh "chack!" calls. Parks with footpaths around lakes and ponds, and golf courses, are common hot zones.

Some redwings get physical, approaching from behind and making light contact with their feet. Getting bopped on the head is startling, but seldom bloody.

Any perceived enemy is fair game for the fearless RWBB. The species will even chase and briefly land on flying hawks, crows, and herons, giving the larger birds a peck on the head or neck.

Jeff Reiter's Words on Birds business card features a redwing in the air, poised for attack. "I snapped the photo looking straight up and then scrambled to safety," he says. Courtesy of Jeff Reiter

My Words on Birds business card features a redwing in the air, poised for attack. I snapped the photo looking straight up and then scrambled to safety.

But let's get back to those epaulets. When a male redwing sings, the tail fans out and the wings lift, fully exposing the red patches. Ornithologists call this song-spread. The display serves to defend territory and attract potential mates. Birds with the biggest, brightest wing patches enjoy a competitive advantage.

The red patches have a yellowish edge at the base. A thin buffy wing bar is often the only color visible on a male, such as during a foraging trip inside another male's territory. This species can be inconspicuous when it needs to be.

The females are that way by design. Brown and heavily streaked, they look nothing like the males. A birder could easily mistake one for a large sparrow.

A few other gleanings

This sign at Lake Ellyn Park in Glen Ellyn offers wise advice for unsuspecting visitors. Courtesy of Jeff Reiter

The life span of a red-winged blackbird averages about three years. The oldest bird on record, which we know from bird banding, was 15 years and 9 months.

Redwings are among the most polygynous of all bird species. Males may breed with 10 or more females during nesting season, although three is average. Females are a little slinky, too, often mating with more than one male.

Male blackbirds patrol their small territories relentlessly, driving out other males and guarding their private harem. This image shows a flying bird, low over the marsh. Courtesy of Jeff Reiter

A male's territory is usually a quarter-acre or less - much smaller than I expected given all the hanky-panky going on.

Females construct the nest from dried marsh vegetation and grasses, about four feet off the ground or water surface. The nest is used only once. A new one is built if there is a second brood, to keep the young safe from tiny nest parasites.

Abandoned redwing nests are easy to find in the late fall and winter. This one, adjacent to a pond, features a white ribbon and a lining of soft pine needles. Courtesy of Jeff Reiter

Redwings are capable of massive crop damage when they gather in huge flocks after nesting season. The species is protected under the Migratory Bird Treaty Act, and yet farmers may employ "control measures" to mitigate economic loss.

When not raising families, red-winged blackbirds are indeed highly social, which makes them easy targets. Winter roosts in agricultural areas, usually with grackles and starlings mixed in, can number in the millions.

This time of year, however, the dapper redwings are setting up shop and looking out for number one. Celebrate spring's early arrival by going for a look and listen at your local marsh. Even a neighborhood pond with some cattails might do the trick. The show is on!

• Reiter's column appears regularly in Neighbor. You can reach him via his blog, Words on Birds.

Article Comments

Article Comments

Guidelines: Keep it civil and on topic; no profanity, vulgarity, slurs or personal attacks. People who harass others or joke about tragedies will be blocked. If a comment violates these standards or our terms of service, click the "flag" link in the lower-right corner of the comment box. To find our more, read our FAQ.