The Howland Picture Pages: Red-winged Blackbird

Page by Royce
Last update: $Date: 2004/01/28 04:54:48 $ (UTC)

The Red-winged Blackbird (Agelaius phoeniceus) is an Icterid found ubiquitously throughout North America, inhabiting nearly any marshy or wetland area. The male is easily identified by the patch of bright red high on the shoulders, often bordered by a bit of yellow. These birds are easily photographed as they perch on a cattail or branch, often voicing their raucous calls.

Resources where you can find out more:

• Red-winged Blackbird profile at weaselhead.org
• Red-winged Blackbird profile at CLO including sound sample
• Red-winged Blackbird profile at the USGS Patuxent Bird Identification InfoCenter

Light the after-burners for take-off!

I snapped this photo of a Red-winged Blackbird in a nice little prairie wetland spot in north-east Calgary one Saturday morning (May 31, 2003) while out looking for a Fulvous Whistling-Duck. Strangely, despite the common sight of these Blackbirds in any wetland area I have been, it seems that I don't often photograph them. Captured during take-off, the red wing patches of this Blackbird are particular vivid. Nearby, as if for comparison, perched a more distant family member, a Yellow-headed Blackbird. EXIF 2.2 photo info: 320 x 336 true color Exposure time: 1/315.40 F-stop: 5.3 ISO speed: 100 Focal length: 71.2000 (plus 1.5X teleconverter) Exposure mode: Auto White balance: Auto Exposure bias: 0.0000 Metering mode: Center Weighted Exposure program: Normal Gain control: None Contrast: Normal Saturation: High Sharpness: Hard Camera make: NIKON Camera model: E5700

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Unless stated otherwise, all photos and other content on these pages is copyright © 2002 - 2003 by Royce Howland.

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