Red-Winged Blackbird

The Red-winged Blackbird is a common spring & summer breeding bird in Huntington Central Park favoring the dense reedy edges of Lake Huntington, Talbert Lake and Blackbird Pond where boisterous males atop cattails and bulrushes vigorously defend breeding territories with their trademark vocalization, a loud, ringing conk-la-REE!! that culminates in an intimidating trill. 

Male Red-winged Blackbirds are unmistakeable with their glossy, jet black plumage and red shoulder patches, called epaulettes, thinly edged in golden yellow. The epaulettes may be concealed at times, but are proudly puffed out brightly when the strident male is singing atop swaying reeds while defending a springtime territory or attracting a mate. The much drabber female and juvenile birds are dull brown and heavily streaked, resembling some species of sparrow.

Red-winged Blackbirds are highly polygamous meaning in this case that one male may have up to 15 different females making nests in his territory which he will fiercely defend throughout the breeding season.

For their part, females tend to prefer birds with more brilliant epaulets, which in practice means they usually mate with older males, whose feathers become brighter and more richly colored over time along with their ability to successfully defend territories.

Post breeding, huge flocks of Red-winged Blackbirds depart our area and congregate on inland fields, meadows and forested areas where they continue to feast on insects, seeds, and grain.

Bird of the month flyer