Description and ecology 

Red-winged Blackbirds (Agelaius phoeniceus) is a large migratory songbird (~20 cm). It is a member of the American Blackbird Family, Icteridae. It is the most widely distributed species in the Agelaius genus, being found all throughout North America from the tropical Yucatan Peninsula to the subarctic Canadian boreal forest. There are 3 other species of Agelaius in Greater Antilles of the Caribbean, while the Tricoloured Blackbird (Agelaius tricolor) occurs primarily in the Central Valley of California. Regarding habitat, this songbird is found in a wide variety of ecosystems, but usually herbaceous wetlands (especially marshes) almost exclusively for breeding.

In the Great Lakes Region, Red-winged Blackbirds are most often observed in the spring, summer, and autumn. It is considered a year-round resident in the southern areas, including Norfolk County, but populations fluctuate throughout the year. It is scarce in winter – but substantially more common in milder years (such as those associated with El Nino events in the tropical Pacific Ocean) than frigid years, where the species is almost absent from even the Lake Erie region. The spring breeding season begins in late February and early March, where male blackbirds establish their territories usually in herbaceous wetlands, which they defend fiercely from competitors. There, they often sing their typical “conk-a-reeee” mnemonic to attract potential mates and ward off other males. Female Red-winged Blackbirds arrive a few weeks later, around mid-March. Females usually gather most of the nest material, but both sexes care for an defend the young. The males are loudest in April to June, though they continue to sing until the end of July. Afterwards, they are largely silent. The first clutch is laid by the females in April, containing usually between 3-5 eggs, pale blue with brown speckles. Incubation time is 12 days, completed mostly by females, and the nestling raising period is another 12 days. Female Red-winged Blackbirds will subsequently produce at least one additional brood, for a total of 2-3 broods. During the nestling-raising phase, males are focused with helping the females with provisioning the offspring and defending them against predation. The last brood is usually fledged by the end of July.

Red-winged Blackbirds consume insects during the breeding season, shifting their diet to seeds and nuts in the winter. This influences their group behaviour throughout the year. The abundant insects of spring and summer allows Red-winged Blackbirds to be associated in small breeding groups, which typically consist of 1 male and 1 or more females. As insect numbers dwindle in late August and September, Red-winged Blackbirds start to form large foraging flocks, seeking seeds in wetlands, meadows, grasslands, and even croplands – where they feed mostly on corn (maize). Seeds of the sunflower family (Asteraceae) tend to be important in the autumn and winter.

 

Written by Matthew Palarchio, HBSc in Environmental Sciences, Western University

All photos are Stock photos retrieved from Canva

 

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