March 17 Redwing Invasion

I saw one of these on Friday, but today was the first day I saw and heard the red-winged blackbird invasion in full. Ageliaus phoeniceus males return to Madison by the thousands and immediately begin work to set up a mating territory. These birds are identified by their constant screeches and screams, their puffed up gestures that show bright red epaulets (shoulder patches), and activity in general. The females, set to arrive a little later, look more like sparrows with broken brown bars against a white body. I was exploring University Bay this evening and watched as a hundred redwings and common grackles zoomed around, shrieking at each other and elbowing for space on the lakefront and in the cattail marshes. Later, at dusk I saw large flocks make their way west over the Eagle Heights gardens, looking for safe high places to roost for the night. Expect these birds to make plenty of noise over the next month as they herald the coming of more and more migrant birds to town and continue to put on a show for the lady redwings.