Day 30: Red-winged Blackbird

Red-winged Blackbirds are found throughout most of North and Central America. Evidently, some scientists claim that it is the most abundant and well studied bird in North America.

The Red-winged Blackbird is sexually dimorphic. Male birds are all black with a red shoulder and yellow ring bar. Females are a dirty dark brown color. Open, grassy areas, wetlands, and marshes are all preferred habitat for the Red-winged Blackbird.

Groups of Red-winged Blackbirds can cause a lot of destruction to important crops like corn, sunflower, and rice. Quite a bit of time, effort, and money have been spent attempting to control blackbird roosts and to reduce crop damage; as a result, humans are now one of the major sources of adult mortality in this species.