Wikibooks: Field Guide/Birds/Agelaius phoeniceus

• Format: Book
• Language: English
• Subjects: Buff; Newfoundland; Alaska
• Online Access: https://en.wikibooks.org/wiki/Field_Guide/Birds/Agelaius_phoeniceus

Bird id name = Red winged Blackbird latin name = Agelaius phoeniceus level = 4 image 1 = Red winged blackbird natures pics.jpg caption 1 = Male image 2 = Agelaius phoeniceus 008.jpg caption 2 = Female range map = call = Agelaius phoeniceus 001.ogg description =The Red winged Blackbird Agelaius phoeniceus is a passerine bird found in most of North and much of Central America. It breeds from Alaska and Newfoundland south to Florida the Gulf of Mexico Mexico and Guatemala with isolated populations in western El Salvador northwestern Honduras and northwestern Costa Rica. It may winter as far north as Pennsylvania and British Columbia but northern populations are generally bird migration moving south to Mexico and the southern United States. The common name for this species is taken from the mainly black adult male s distinctive red shoulder patches or epaulets which are visible when the bird is flying or displaying. At rest the male also shows a pale yellow wingbar. The female is blackish brown and paler below. The female is considerably smaller than the male at 17 18 cm (7 inches) length and 36 g weight against his 22 24 cm (9.5 inches) and 64 g. Young birds resemble the female but are paler below and have buff feather fringes. Both sexes have a sharply pointed bill. The Red winged Blackbird feeds primarily on plant seeds including weeds and waste grain but about a quarter of its diet consists of insects spiders mollusks and other small animals considerably more so during breeding season (Srygley Kingsolver 1998). In season it eats blueberries blackberries and other fruit. These birds can be lured to backyard bird feeders by bread and seed mixtures. When migrating north these birds travel in single sex flocks and the males usually arrive a few days before the females. Once they have reached the location where they plan to breed the males stake out territories by singing. They defend their territory aggressively both against other male Red winged Blackbirds and against birds they perceive as threatening including ...