Red-Winged Blackbird

Day 202: This Red-Winged Blackbird (Agelaius phoeniceus) is in his first summer, as evidenced by the traces of yellow and brown in his body coloration. At maturity, he will be coal-black except for the wing marking which gives him his name. At that time, the lesser coverts on his shoulders will show a brilliant red underscored with bright yellow, particularly when in flight. A denizen of wetlands where cattails are numerous, "redwings" are found in almost every state although they are only present in summer in New York, Maine, Vermont and New Hampshire according to David Allen Sibley. The call of the Red-Winged Blackbird is a clear whistle or a melodious vocalization, "toe-toe-WHEEE-up" with some regional variation.