Meadow & Feather

Birds › Lake and wetland › Red-winged Blackbird

Red-winged Blackbird

Agelaius phoeniceus

A male may defend a marsh territory where as many as 15 different females build their nests.

Where to see it for real: Comes to feeders with mixed seed near wet fields and marshes.

Spot it in the game

Lives in the Lake and wetland habitat (North American lakes and marshes).

Red-winged Blackbird, Agelaius phoeniceus
Photo: Marilynn Miller, CC BY 4.0, via iNaturalist. Cut out from the original photo.

Red-winged Blackbird facts

Family
New World blackbirds
Length
8.3 in (21 cm)
Wingspan
14 in (35 cm)
Weight
1.8 oz (52 g)
Diet
Insects in summer, seeds and grain in winter.
Range
Across North America and Central America.
Nest
A cup woven around cattail or reed stems over water.
Song
A gurgling "conk-la-ree!" ending in a trill.
Active
at dawn and by day
Status
Least Concern on the IUCN Red List: widespread and not at risk.

What the Red-winged Blackbird sounds like

Recording 1: Killian Sullivan, CC0, original on xeno-canto. Trimmed and cleaned of low background noise.

How to attract the Red-winged Blackbird

Feeder foods, favorite first: sunflower seed, millet. Feeders that hold them: tube feeder and platform feeder. Keep a bird bath full, too.

In the game: fill a feeder with sunflower seed and millet and keep the bird bath full. It is a common visitor.

More: bird songs and calls, what to feed birds.

More birds of the lake and wetland

Great Blue HeronGreat Blue HeronLake and wetlandGreat EgretGreat EgretLake and wetlandGreen HeronGreen HeronLake and wetlandBelted KingfisherBelted KingfisherLake and wetlandWood DuckWood DuckLake and wetlandMallardMallardLake and wetland

Spot the Red-winged Blackbird yourself

Free in your browser. Put out the right food in the lake and wetland and wait.

Play free