• The Red-winged Blackbird, Agelaius phoeniceus, is the second most common bird in North America (behind the American Robin) and is very common throughout Colorado.

• Easily recognizable, the males are all black with bold orange-red and smaller yellow wing bars (known as epaulets).  The females (and juveniles) are streaky brown with the overall appearance of large sparrows with a buff-colored eyebrow and pointed bill.  Males are about 9 inches long while females average 7 inches in length.

• Red-winged Blackbirds nest and roost in wet, marshy areas, often among cattails or in hayfields.  Their ratcheting call can fill the air during the spring mating season in these landscapes.

• These birds often forage in open fields and mudflats, feeding on insects and seeds.  They will occasionally turn up at the backyard bird feeder.  In the winter, they can be seen in huge flocks as they search for food.

• A small number of Red-Winged Blackbirds stay in the Front Range during the winter season, but most will migrate south.

• In the spring, males will aggressively guard their territories where they may mate with up to 15 females.  The females (without any help from the males) build their nests near each other over water amongst the cattails, grasses, or willows.  The grassy nests are lined with mud and each female lays 3-4 eggs.  After 11-12 days of incubation (again by the female alone), the chicks hatch blind and featherless.  The chicks are ready to fledge 11-14 days after hatching.

• In some agricultural areas of the United States, Red-winged Blackbirds are pests because they can cause extensive damage to crops such as corn, rice, sorghum, and sunflowers.

Sources: Sibley Birds West, Audubon.org, wikipedia