The Red-winged Blackbird                                                                                                                                                                  

       The Red-winged Blackbird is one of the most common birds you can find in America. Although you might often mistake the female one for a common house sparrow, you will know when you spot the male blackbird, as they are easy to discern from their sleek black color and shiny red and yellow patch on each wing. The males use this patch for display to court females. First they will stay on a high perch for all the females to see their beautiful display, and when they catch the attention of one, they are off to mate. Although, these birds are polygamous, meaning that the male will mate with more than one female, some even having up to 15 mates in a lifetime!
       Some of the places you will commonly see them in are in areas that are wet, such as marshes and rice paddies, where they are able to feed off various insects that hide in aquatic plants. They tend to build their nests near the ground and are very territorial. In fact, they are one of the most aggressive birds out there, attacking anything that comes close to their territory. They are highly adaptable birds and are always quick to colonize, thus making them of least concern. In fact, they are so plentiful that they are sometimes considered pest species.