Red-winged Blackbird
Agelaius phoeniceus
A young male growing into his colors — and the bold red-shouldered bird he'll become.
The young males here: heavily streaked over a dark body, with a rusty-orange wash on the face, throat, and the shoulder where the red patch is just coming in — caught between juvenile streaks and the adult's black suit. The adult male: glossy black, with scarlet-and-yellow shoulder patches that flash when he flaps. Females (not at the feeder yet) look completely different — streaky warm brown, almost like a big sparrow.
Young males take a couple of years to earn the full black-and-red — which is why these two look half-finished. A grown male can flash those red shoulders to claim his turf, or hide them, flattening them to dull brown to sneak through a rival's patch. And in spring he'll dive-bomb anyone who wanders too near his cattails.
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May 30, 2026 · 6:16 AM
A first-year male, rusty-faced, caught between juvenile and adult.
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May 29, 2026 · evening
A young male in the evening — streaky, with the rusty wash of a bird growing into his colors.
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May 16, 2026 · morning · found later in the photos
An adult male in flight, shoulder patches bright — spotted later in an older photo.
