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Red-winged Blackbird

Agelaius phoeniceus

Description:

The common name for the Red-winged Blackbird 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.

Habitat:

The range of the Red-winged Blackbird stretches from southern Alaska to the Yucatan peninsula in the south, and from the western coast of California and Canada to the east coast of the continent. Red-winged Blackbirds in the northern reaches of the range are migratory, spending winters in the southern United States and Central America. Migration begins in September or October, but occasionally as early as August. In western and middle America, populations are generally non-migratory.

Notes:

I've been trying to get a decent picture of one of these birds for over three months now! Their black color makes them so easy to become a silhouette, especially when they're up in a tall tree. Finally, though, the lighting at sunset gave me the opportunity to get a shot with their red wingbar! Personal achievement!

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RiverValleyRunner
Spotted by
RiverValleyRunner

New York, USA

Spotted on Jun 16, 2012
Submitted on Jun 19, 2012

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