Red-winged Blackbird Agelaius phoeniceus Linnaeus       Field Guide IDs: NG-436; G-298; PE-252; PW-pl 52; AE-pl 568; AW-pl 614; AM(III)-290 Nest Location Nest Type Eggs & Mating System Dev. & Parental Care Primary & 2ndary Diet.. Foraging Strategy REEDS F I: 10-12 DAYS ALTRICIAL 1 foot - 8 feet (0.5 - 20 feet) F 3-4 (2-6) POLYGYN F: 11-14 DAYS MF SEEDS FOLIAGE GLEAN HAWKS BREEDING: Freshwater and brackish marshes, riparian habitats, fields. 2, occ 3 broods. DISPLAYS: Elevated on emergent veg, male spreads tail, droops wings, raises colored patches, fluffs feathers, leans forward with head pointing downward and "sings." Slow, stalling song-flight with tail spread, head down. NEST: Near or over water, usu in emergent veg or shrub, rarely in low tree; woven of sedges, grass, lined with fine grass, rushes. Built in 3-6 days. EGGS: Pale bluish-green, marked with dark colors. 1.0" (25 mm). DIET: Includes few spiders; grass and forb seeds, rarely fruit. Young fed 100% insects. CONSERVATION: Winters s to Costa Rica. Frequent cowbird host. Late summer and fall flocks occ damage grain crops, esp in mid-west. NOTES: Strongly territorial on clumped territories. Marsh Wrens often puncture and occ steal eggs. Young can swim at 5-6 days. In addition to large fall and winter roosts, males may roost together in early summer. Males often form fall flocks separate from females and young; flocks often feed in uplands, roost in marshes. Enormous mixed winter flocks with grackles, Rusty Blackbirds, starlings, and cowbirds. Possibly most numerous N.A. land bird. STANFORD. NOTES: Common breeder in mustard and other herbaceous vegetation on the hills near the Dish and near Lagunita, fairly rare as a breeder elsewhere on campus. A few pairs may nest in the wetland area south of Campus Drive between Lomita Drive and Palm Drive. During the nonbreeding season, small numbers (and occasionally flocks) may forage throughout campus. ESSAYS: Polygyny; Red-wing Coverable Badges; Visual Displays; Communal Roosting; Sexual Selection; Cowbirds REFERENCES: Orians, 1980, 1985; Ewald and Rohwer, 1982; Yasakawa, 1979.