One of the most abundant birds across North America, and one of the most boldly colored, the Red-winged Blackbird is a familiar sight atop cattails, along soggy roadsides, and on telephone wires. Glossy-black males have scarlet-and-yellow shoulder patches they can puff up or hide depending on how confident they feel. Females are a subdued, streaky brown, almost like a large, dark sparrow. In the North, their early arrival and tumbling song are happy indications of the return of spring.
Even though they are supposed to be abundant in our area, I have never seen one in our yard. I saw these while at the farm. I had a hard time catching him in a position where I could get a good picture of his shoulder patch. I had a great time talking with friends and watching these beautiful birds.
