Female Red-winged Blackbirds must be cryptically colored so as not to stand out in their nests [April; Minnesota]
Red-winged Blackbirds are often the first birds to return to the cattail marsh in spring; Sometimes when the marsh is still frozen! [April; Minnesota]
Red-winged Blackbird [February; Laguna Atascosa NWR, Texas]
Territorial male Red-winged Blackbirds make sure all the other watching males (and females!) can see his bright red epaulats [April; Sick Dog Ranch near Alice, Texas]
Female Red-winged Blackbirds must be cryptically colored so as not to stand out in their nests [May; Tobin-Kimmes Wetlands, Douglas County, Wisconsin]
Red-winged Blackbird [May; Tobin-Kimmes wetlands, Douglas County, Wisconsin]
Male Red-winged Blackbirds show their red epaulats when defending territory and attracting mates [June; Martin County, Minnesota]
Still singing at sunset, this newly-arrived male Red-winged Blackbird is intent on setting up his territory [April; Crex Meadows, Wisconsin]
Red-winged Blackbird [April; Sick Dog Ranch near Alice, Texas]
Red-winged Blackbirds (and a few Yellow-headed Blackbirds) congregate in large numbers in winter [December; Bosque del Apache National Wildlife Refuge, San Antonio, New Mexico]
![Female Red-winged Blackbirds must be cryptically colored so as not to stand out in their nests [April; Minnesota]](https://photos.smugmug.com/BIRDS/Blackbirds/Red-winged-Blackbird/i-L5L8vRw/0/98a255f5/S/Red-winged%20Blackbird%20female%20MN%20154_5424-S.jpg)
![Red-winged Blackbirds are often the first birds to return to the cattail marsh in spring; Sometimes when the marsh is still frozen! [April; Minnesota]](https://photos.smugmug.com/BIRDS/Blackbirds/Red-winged-Blackbird/i-DvnsVRK/0/94529389/S/Red-wingedBlkbird%28ShrpBird%29-N-154_5454-S.jpg)
![Red-winged Blackbird [February; Laguna Atascosa NWR, Texas]](https://photos.smugmug.com/BIRDS/Blackbirds/Red-winged-Blackbird/i-nJbBSTv/0/48eb5c09/S/Red-winged%20Blackbird%20Laguna%20Atascosa%2C%20TX%20808_0888-S.jpg)
![Territorial male Red-winged Blackbirds make sure all the other watching males (and females!) can see his bright red epaulats [April; Sick Dog Ranch near Alice, Texas]](https://photos.smugmug.com/BIRDS/Blackbirds/Red-winged-Blackbird/i-D7bDB5R/0/9d870a0f/S/Red-winged%20Blackbird%20Sick%20Dog%20Ranch%20TX%20003_A22_3-S.jpg)
![Female Red-winged Blackbirds must be cryptically colored so as not to stand out in their nests [May; Tobin-Kimmes Wetlands, Douglas County, Wisconsin]](https://photos.smugmug.com/BIRDS/Blackbirds/Red-winged-Blackbird/i-KCLNBQC/0/1b33348a/S/Red-winged%20Blackbird%20female%20Tobin-Kimmes%20Douglas%20Co%20WI%20_MG_3440-S.jpg)
![Red-winged Blackbird [May; Tobin-Kimmes wetlands, Douglas County, Wisconsin]](https://photos.smugmug.com/BIRDS/Blackbirds/Red-winged-Blackbird/i-7hMBWHf/0/a7df41c9/S/Red-winged%20Blackbird%20Tobin-Kimmes%20Douglas%20Co%20WI_MG_3508-S.jpg)
![Male Red-winged Blackbirds show their red epaulats when defending territory and attracting mates [June; Martin County, Minnesota]](https://photos.smugmug.com/BIRDS/Blackbirds/Red-winged-Blackbird/i-dNHBqVf/0/6cac0d8d/S/Red-winged%20Blackbird%20singing%20Martin%20Co%20MN%20_MG_4394-S.jpg)
![Male Red-winged Blackbirds show their red epaulats when defending territory and attracting mates [June; Martin County, Minnesota]](https://photos.smugmug.com/BIRDS/Blackbirds/Red-winged-Blackbird/i-zFDgG4v/0/be969705/S/Red-winged%20Blackbird%20singing%20Martin%20Co%20MN%20_MG_4398-S.jpg)
![Territorial male Red-winged Blackbirds make sure all the other watching males (and females!) can see his bright red epaulats [April; Sick Dog Ranch near Alice, Texas]](https://photos.smugmug.com/BIRDS/Blackbirds/Red-winged-Blackbird/i-bhzJ6XJ/0/673ab89b/S/Red-winged%20Blackbird%20Sick%20Dog%20Ranch%20South%20TX%20003_E08_3-S.jpg)
![Still singing at sunset, this newly-arrived male Red-winged Blackbird is intent on setting up his territory [April; Crex Meadows, Wisconsin]](https://photos.smugmug.com/BIRDS/Blackbirds/Red-winged-Blackbird/i-9HGqxjh/0/d50fd563/S/Red-winged%20Blackbird%20orange%20silhouette%20Crex%20Meadows%20WI%20IMG_010221-S.jpg)
![Red-winged Blackbird [April; Sick Dog Ranch near Alice, Texas]](https://photos.smugmug.com/BIRDS/Blackbirds/Red-winged-Blackbird/i-bn6V8zF/0/481f3fcf/S/Red-winged%20Blackbird%20Sick%20Dog%20Ranch%20TX%20IMG_0002357-S.jpg)
![Red-winged Blackbirds (and a few Yellow-headed Blackbirds) congregate in large numbers in winter [December; Bosque del Apache National Wildlife Refuge, San Antonio, New Mexico]](https://photos.smugmug.com/BIRDS/Blackbirds/Red-winged-Blackbird/i-gNPWJfW/0/92fc9c6e/M/Red-winged%20Blackbird%20flock%20Bosque%20del%20Apache%20NM%20IMG_9754%20%281%29-M.jpg)
![Red-winged Blackbirds (and a few Yellow-headed Blackbirds) congregate in large numbers in winter [December; Bosque del Apache National Wildlife Refuge, San Antonio, New Mexico]](https://photos.smugmug.com/BIRDS/Blackbirds/Red-winged-Blackbird/i-gs45TVh/0/3cf4b923/M/Red-winged%20Blackbird%20flock%20Bosque%20del%20Apache%20NM%20IMG_9754-M.jpg)
![Red-winged Blackbirds (and a few Yellow-headed Blackbirds) congregate in large numbers in winter [December; Bosque del Apache National Wildlife Refuge, San Antonio, New Mexico]](https://photos.smugmug.com/BIRDS/Blackbirds/Red-winged-Blackbird/i-D3Ks3vn/0/d256171e/L/Red-winged%20Blackbird%20flock%20Bosque%20del%20Apache%20NM%20IMG_9755-L.jpg)
![Red-winged Blackbirds (and a few Yellow-headed Blackbirds) congregate in large numbers in winter [December; Bosque del Apache National Wildlife Refuge, San Antonio, New Mexico]](https://photos.smugmug.com/BIRDS/Blackbirds/Red-winged-Blackbird/i-bw3PKKQ/0/8e4e6718/S/Red-winged%20Blackbird%20flock%20Bosque%20del%20Apache%20NM%20IMG_9771-S.jpg)
![Red-winged Blackbirds (and a few Yellow-headed Blackbirds) congregate in large numbers in winter [December; Bosque del Apache National Wildlife Refuge, San Antonio, New Mexico]](https://photos.smugmug.com/BIRDS/Blackbirds/Red-winged-Blackbird/i-B6hRgKj/0/627cdc65/M/Red-winged%20Blackbird%20flock%20Bosque%20del%20Apache%20NM%20IMG_9776-M.jpg)
![Red-winged Blackbirds (and a few Yellow-headed Blackbirds) congregate in large numbers in winter [December; Bosque del Apache National Wildlife Refuge, San Antonio, New Mexico]](https://photos.smugmug.com/BIRDS/Blackbirds/Red-winged-Blackbird/i-mPFhFcc/0/626428b4/M/Red-winged%20Blackbird%20flock%20Bosque%20del%20Apache%20NM%20IMG_9777-M.jpg)