Preferred Seed:
Sunflower seed, Millet, Cracked corn
Description:
The Red-winged Blackbird is a bold and easily recognizable bird often found near wetlands, fields, and marshes. Males are famous for their striking red and yellow shoulder patches and their loud territorial calls during spring and summer.
Feeder Type:
Platform, Hopper, Ground
Nesting:
Red-winged Blackbirds build cup-shaped nests woven from grasses and plant fibers. Nests are typically placed low in dense marsh vegetation such as cattails or reeds.
Identification:
Males are glossy black with bright red and yellow shoulder patches called epaulets. Females look very different, appearing brown and heavily streaked with a pale eyebrow stripe, which can make them resemble large sparrows.
Song Description:
A loud, distinctive call often described as “conk-la-ree!” that carries across wetlands and fields.
How to Attract:
• Offer mixed seed blends that contain sunflower or millet
• Use platform feeders or scatter seed on the ground
• Provide open feeding areas where flocks can gather
• Place feeders near fields, wetlands, or open habitats
Fun Fact:
Male Red-winged Blackbirds aggressively defend their territory and will sometimes dive at much larger animals, including people, if they get too close to the nest.
Residency:
Year round in much of the United States, though northern populations in Canada migrate south during winter. Many birds move south into the southern United States and northern Mexico.
Region:
United States, Canada, Northern Mexico
Range Map:
Range Map © Chirp Nook
Best Seed Blend For
Red-winged Blackbird
Red-winged Blackbird
