Red-winged Blackbirds – A sure sign of spring returning to Creek 53

“Conk-la-ree, o-ka-ree, o-ka-leeee, conk-a-ree, o-gurg-a-lee”

Whatever your personal onomatopoeic version, the call of the male Red-winged Blackbird is an important harbinger of spring for many of us. Sometime in early March, these soldier-like birds dressed in their black uniforms with red and yellow epaulettes return to the partly frozen marshes, hedgerows, and shrubby field sections of Creek 53. There, they announce their readiness to set up territories. Their vigil may be a lonely one for several weeks, as the very differently clad females usually arrive only at a later date, often as much as a month behind.

 

A male belts forth his call while showing off his shoulder patches

Plumage differences in this species are the epitome of sexual dimorphism. The sparrow-like female often causes consternation among novice birders trying to identify them for the first time. Even her calls are different, as she sometimes responds to the male’s entreaties with a series of three to five short check notes. Both sexes use a variety of other calls in different situations, including contact notes and alarm calls, one of which often signals the presence of an aerial predator.

(To hear some of the Red-winged Blackbird’s repertoire of sounds, follow this link Red-winged Blackbird Vocalizations )

 

A female Red-winged Blackbird shows her more cryptic plumage.

Once the females return, the serious business of mate selection and territorial defence begins in earnest. Monogamy is not a term that applies to the sexual relationships of Red-winged Blackbirds. Males practice a polygynous lifestyle, guarding a territory that may include several, or in extreme cases, up to 15 females. And because males may sometimes have trouble overseeing their entire realm, females are known to mate with other males from nearby territories. The result is an avian genealogist’s nightmare of mixed paternities included in the two to three clutches each female may lay in a single breeding season. Each brood requires a new nest, possibly to avoid the build-up of parasites or scents that might attract predators.

Those animals that wish to make a meal of the eggs or nestlings come in many forms including mammalian, reptilian and other avian species. Even fish can enjoy an opportunistic feast if a nestling tumbles out of the nest, which is often located over water. The luckier young ones may swim to a reed stalk and clamber up.

 

A female Red-winged Blackbird forages for her growing brood

The female Red-winged blackbird’s cryptic plumage and the speckled pattern of her eggshells can help with camouflage. In addition, members of the colony may temporarily set aside their differences to mob and harass intruders to dissuade them from searching too carefully. Particularly diligent males have been known to attack and peck humans in a very often successful attempt to push them out of their territory.

 

A male Red-winged Blackbird harasses a Great Egret in flight

 

Another male lands on and pecks at a White-tailed Deer

Once the breeding season is over, Red-winged Blackbirds gather in large flocks. They usually abandon their breeding habitat and gather in grain fields and feedlots much to the chagrin of farmers. Although still one of the most numerous birds in North America, population control measures have put a dent in their numbers in the past. Attempts to weaken the Migratory Bird Treaty Act may be cause for further concern.

Unlike many other passerines (perching birds), Red-winged Blackbirds are diurnal migrants. Large flocks heading north and south at appropriate times of year can be very conspicuous. These groups may include other related species such as Common Grackles, Rusty Blackbirds and Brown-headed Cowbirds. There is a trade-off involved in travelling by day. Birds that do so avoid the man-made dangers that buildings cause to nocturnal migrants, namely collisions and navigational disorientation caused by lights. However, they are more vulnerable to diurnal raptors such as hawks, especially accipiters, and falcons.

Common Grackle and Rusty Blackbird. Two relatives of Red-winged Blackbirds with whom they sometimes form mixed flocks during migration

 

A juvenile Cooper’s Hawk (an accipiter species) hunts over a marsh at Creek 53

Creek 53, with its variety of habitats, plays an important role in the life cycle of many Red-winged Blackbirds. Its marshes, hedgerows, scrubby fields and forest edges provide nesting and foraging opportunities throughout the breeding season. And, no matter what your favourite phonetic rendition, the iconic call of the first returning male to the area is sure to put a smile on your face.

More interesting facts about Red-winged Blackbirds:

1. The Red-winged Blackbird’s scientific name, Agelaius phoeniceus, means flocking and red. (The Phoenicians apparently traded a red dye made from shellfish.)
2. They belong to the family Icteridae (ick-TER-ih-dee), a group of approximately 90 New World species. Unflatteringly, the name comes from the Greek ickteros meaning “jaundiced”. Many of the family species are yellow including several orioles.
3. There may be as many as 20 subspecies of Red-winged Blackbirds.
4. Although most live very short lives, one banded individual lived to be over 15 years old.
5. Finally, the “four-and-twenty blackbirds” of “Sing a Song of Six Pence” pie fame are not closely related to Red-winged Blackbirds. In fact, they are Eurasian Blackbirds which are more closely related to American Robins in the Thrush Family (Turdus merula and Turdus migratorius respectively). To go further down the rabbit hole, American Robins in turn are not closely related to European Robins, which are in the Old World Flycatcher Family.

That seems like a good place to end.

Wayne Grubert
Creek 53 volunteer