Perch Supply
Blackbirds (Icteridae)

Red-winged Blackbird

Agelaius phoeniceus. Insects in summer; seeds and grain the rest of the year.

Blackbirds (Icteridae)Red-winged BlackbirdAgelaius phoeniceus
Scientific name
Agelaius phoeniceus
Length
6.7–9.1 in
Weight
1.1–2.7 oz
Nest
Woven cup lashed to cattails or shrubs over water
Entrance hole
Does not use nest boxes
Clutch
2–4 eggs
Incubation
11–13 days
Broods
2–3 per season

Identification

  • Male glossy black with red-and-yellow shoulder patches
  • Female heavily streaked brown
  • Conical bill

Voice

Gurgling 'conk-la-ree!'.

Diet and feeding

Insects in summer; seeds and grain the rest of the year.

What do red-winged blackbirds eat? · Best feeder for red-winged blackbirds

Red-winged Blackbirds by state and province

RegionStatusNesting
AlabamaYear-round residentMarch–July
AlaskaSummer breederMay–July
AlbertaSummer breederMay–July
ArizonaYear-round residentMarch–July
ArkansasYear-round residentApril–July
British ColumbiaSummer breederMay–July
CaliforniaYear-round residentMarch–July
ColoradoYear-round residentApril–July
ConnecticutSummer breederApril–July
DelawareYear-round residentApril–July
FloridaYear-round residentMarch–July
GeorgiaYear-round residentMarch–July
IdahoSummer breederApril–July
IllinoisYear-round residentApril–July
IndianaYear-round residentApril–July
IowaSummer breederApril–July
KansasYear-round residentApril–July
KentuckyYear-round residentApril–July
LouisianaYear-round residentMarch–July
MaineSummer breederMay–July
ManitobaSummer breederMay–July
MarylandYear-round residentApril–July
MassachusettsSummer breederApril–July
MichiganSummer breederApril–July
MinnesotaSummer breederMay–July
MississippiYear-round residentMarch–July
MissouriYear-round residentApril–July
MontanaSummer breederMay–July
NebraskaSummer breederApril–July
NevadaYear-round residentApril–July
New BrunswickSummer breederMay–July
New HampshireSummer breederMay–July
New JerseyYear-round residentApril–July
New MexicoYear-round residentApril–July
New YorkSummer breederApril–July
Newfoundland and LabradorSummer breederMay–July
North CarolinaYear-round residentApril–July
North DakotaSummer breederMay–July
Northwest TerritoriesSummer breederMay–July
Nova ScotiaSummer breederMay–July
OhioYear-round residentApril–July
OklahomaYear-round residentApril–July
OntarioSummer breederMay–July
OregonYear-round residentApril–July
PennsylvaniaSummer breederApril–July
Prince Edward IslandSummer breederMay–July
QuebecSummer breederMay–July
Rhode IslandSummer breederApril–July
SaskatchewanSummer breederMay–July
South CarolinaYear-round residentMarch–July
South DakotaSummer breederApril–July
TennesseeYear-round residentApril–July
TexasYear-round residentMarch–July
UtahYear-round residentApril–July
VermontSummer breederMay–July
VirginiaYear-round residentApril–July
WashingtonYear-round residentApril–July
West VirginiaYear-round residentApril–July
WisconsinSummer breederMay–July
WyomingSummer breederMay–July
YukonSummer breederMay–July

Frequently asked

What do red-winged blackbirds eat?

Insects in summer; seeds and grain the rest of the year. At feeders: cracked corn, millet, sunflower.

How big is a Red-winged Blackbird?

6.7–9.1 in long and 1.1–2.7 oz.

Do red-winged blackbirds use birdhouses?

No. Woven cup lashed to cattails or shrubs over water.

Sources

  1. Red-winged Blackbird — All About Birds, Cornell Lab of Ornithology
  2. Red-winged Blackbird life history — Cornell Lab of Ornithology
  3. Red-winged Blackbird — Audubon Guide to North American Birds

Timing reflects typical patterns for the region as a whole; local dates vary with elevation and year. Check the linked eBird bar charts for your county.