Red Winged Blackbird - male

This picture was taken on April 13th, 2009 in our back yard. Red Winged Blackbirds are one of the most common birds in North America. In the winter they congregate in the south and seldom do you see males and females together. At night they roost in a common area and there may be millions in the one location. Two years ago, I saw a flock of mainly male Red Winged Blackbirds that took more than 30 minutes for the flock to pass. In summer, the male is very protective of his area and may mate with as many as 15 females.