Creature Feature – Red-winged Blackbirds: Songsters of Spring

Its song is unmelodic and coarse; yet, when I hear the first red-winged blackbird of spring, my heart gives a little jiggety-jig. “Red-wings” are one of our most widespread and common birds, so they are easy to find for the novice birdwatcher. In spring, simply visit any lake or wetland habitat with stands of cattails and reeds, and there you will likely find male red-wings staking claim to a piece of territory with their loud “conk-la-REEEEE!” song. This familiar springtime proclamation is the birds’ first line of territorial defense. 

According to Audubon, male red-wings spend up to a quarter of the day defending their turf during the breeding season. When they sing, they puff out their shoulders to show off red patches on each wing called epaulets, which work to attract mates as well as defend territory. Female red-wings are drawn to mates with the most brilliant epaulets, which typically identifies older males. Meanwhile, female red-wings look nothing like their mates. Instead, they have brown plumage with lighter sparrow-like streaking on the breast. 

One colorful Native American myth describes the origin of the red-winged blackbird. It tells how a nefarious person tried to set the world aflame, but a plain blackbird raised the alarm with its loud calls. The evildoer retaliated by throwing a shell that cut the bird on its wings, leaving smears of blood that remain even to this day.

Article & photo by Margie Manthey