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Perched Red-winged Blackbird (female)Perched Red-winged Blackbird (male)

 

 

    As you can see from the pictures provided (above), the Red-winged Blackbird male and female look very different from each other. This tells us that these birds are extremely dimorphic. The female has a distinct brown color and is smaller in comparison to the male while the male Red-winged Blackbird is a very intense jet black with a brilliant red epaulet (patch) on each wing with a sliver of yellow around the bottom side of each red epaulet. The male is also quite a bit larger than the female. These birds usually will have 3-4 eggs at a time, and the eggs are a light blue-green color with small dark speckles. 

    Another interesting fact about these birds is that unlike most birds, the red-winged blackbird does not usually form monogamous relationships with mates. These birds, most of the time, have several different mates, but the males are extremely territorial. So many times, some of the females within a certain males territory may have eggs that the male is helping to protect but did not conceive. To keep learning about me, continue to the 'friends and neighbors' page.