Red-Winged Blackbirds

Male Red-Winged Blackbird Defending Territory and Calling for a Mate, 3/20/21

Vying for attention with the very loud frogs when I got to the wetland on Saturday were two male red-winged blackbirds perched high in the cattails advertising the territory they had claimed and hoping to attract mates. The field guide I'm looking at (Audubon App on the iPhone) indicates that red-winged blackbirds may be year-round residents here in Central Illinois. If that is the case, then it seems their interest in the wetland is really only for nesting season. They favor wet areas where the females build nests nestled down in the reeds or cattails and both males and females loudly sounding the alarm when anyone wanders near their nesting sites. While my field guide indicates they will eat snails, that's really the only item on the menu mentioned that would favor their hanging out in the wetlands with seeds and insects making up the majority of their diets. Still, the wetland would not be the wetland without their striking appearance and musical calls.



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