Roanoke Times
Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: SUNDAY, February 3, 1991 TAG: 9101310149
SECTION: EXTRA PAGE: E-5 EDITION: METRO
SOURCE: PATRICIA C. HELD
DATELINE: LENGTH: Medium
This is the time of the year when the male blackbird begins to stake its claim. Watch as competing birds fly aggressively toward each other, vying for the best nesting spot. The victor bursts into song as he perches on his newly claimed spot.
The red-wing blackbird inhabits both fresh and salty marshes and waterways all around the United States and in southern Canada.
While some red-wings choose to remain in Southwest and Central Virginia throughout the year, others travel south for winter and begin to return to our area just about this time each year. The mature males always precede the females in arrival. The last to join the ranks are young first-year males.
Red-wings' breeding season is a few weeks away, but the male blackbirds are becoming active now. As is the case with many animals, territories play an important role in breeding, and these birds have well-defined ways to demonstrate where the boundaries of their territory are. Red-wing territories are small, less than a quarter of an acre, and the males make it very clear how close other males can come.
If red-wings were not so common, more people might consider them pretty birds. The male is quite elegant, with a shiny black body and distinctive red epaulets trimmed in gold at the base of each wing.
These colored patches are called releasers and are believed to play important roles in territorial displays. Males signal with these by puffing them out and spreading their wings. They will also tilt their heads back until their beaks are almost vertical. Usually this occurs between two competing males. The loser eventually flies off.
While it is made very clear that other males are not welcome, females most definitely are. Usually several settle into a male's territory. Unlike the males, the females are much more subdued in color. They are a rusty brownish-black color with prominent stripes and spots. Female red-wings are often confused with starlings in their winter plummage.
The male red-wing has a busy season and may sire up to three families each year. While the female takes care of nest building and incubation, the male is repsonsible for defending the area against intruders. The male will remain with the female until the young have left the nest. Then, he flies off with another mate.
Young red-wings resemble the female, with a striped breast and dull colors. It takes a year before they are fully matured and have distincitve feathers. However, first-year males are treated as outcasts and are rarely successful at staking out their own territory.
A mass of red-wings can detroy crops, as they feast on rice and other grains. But they also relish many insect pests and are effective controllers of canker worms, grubs, weevils, wire worms, gypsy moth caterpillars and tent caterpillars.
Late in the summer the red-wings seem to disappear, but actually are going through their molting period and hide out for a time.
By mid-September the red-wings congregate into large, separate flocks, with the males in one group and the females and young birds in another. Some travel south and others remain in our area and can often be found at backyard feeders.
Readers' notes:
Over the past few weeks I have received many letters in reference to the birds at the feeders.
\ Ray Elliot, of Bedford, was surprised to learn from a previous column that readers have seen red-headed woodpeckers. While they are considered uncommon birds in our area, they are here year-round. In fact, we have one that commutes from a field across the road to a Princess tree in our front field. Elliot did point out in his letter that our more common red-bellied woodpecker (which also has a red head) is often incorrectly identified as a red-head.
Several readers wrote with great concern because their bird populations have suddenly decreased. This does happen from time to time for a number of reasons. Sometimes a local population perishes because of disease or a predator attack and suddenly an area is void of birds. New populations do not move in overnight. It takes time before other neighboring birds expand their range and eventually move in.
Don't forget, if you are feeding birds, plan to continue non-stop till spring. That means, if you are taking a winter vacation, ask a neighbor to keep your feeder filled. Birds begin to depend upon bird seed at feeders if it is set out regularly. A sudden change in your feeding schedule can be serious trouble for your birds.
Patricia Held will respond to readers' questions on the plant and animal wildlife in the region. Mail inquiries to: Patricia C. Held, P.O. Box 65, Goode, Va. 24556.
by CNB