Red-winged Blackbird,
Agelaius phoeniceus
Facts and Information
 Red-winged Blackbirds are abundant all across North America, and also familiar here on San Juan Island. Males are glossy-black with brilliant red and yellow shoulder patches. Females are less-brilliantly colored, a streaky, medium brown. It's definitely a sign that spring has arrived when they show up.
The male bird will perch high in a tree and sing all day -- very vocal and melodic. Females perch lower in a tree, spending their time looking for food and weaving their nests. These blackbirds flock together in large numbers during the winter, often alongside other blackbird species, as well as starlings.
They like fresh and saltwater marshes and meadows, as well as fields and open pastureland.
Jump over to any of the other San Juan Island bird pages: American Bald Eagle, Belted Kingfisher, Common Raven, Coopers Hawk, Great Blue Heron, Double Crested Cormorant, Pileated Woodpecker, Red-tailed Hawk, Rufous Hummingbird, Sea Hawk, Yellow Rumped Warbler, Great Horned Owl, Wild Turkey, Trumpeter Swan.
Return to American Goldfinch from Red-winged Blackbird, OR
Return to Simply San Juan.
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