The Red-winged Blackbird follows last month’s bird of the month, the Tufted Titmouse, as another bird that is a harbinger of spring. The Red-wing seems to announce spring’s arrival as it gives its loud call, konk-a-reeee, as it perches on top of a tall cattail. The males start arriving first on the Big Spring, usually by about mid to late February.

The male Red-winged Blackbird is almost completely black except for the distinctive red shoulder patch that gives it its name.

The female, however, is not black at all, but is heavily streaked in brown and white with no shoulder patch. They are a little smaller than a Robin.

The Red-winged Blackbird can be found along the middle portion of the Big Spring where the stream flows through agricultural fields. Look for them in the marshy areas with cattails and rushes on the edge of the creek. They are particularly bold birds and can be seen quite commonly chasing away bigger birds that approach too closely to their nest. Spotting the female will take a little more effort than the male. A close look at their nest will almost certainly require getting wet. The nest is a bulky cup of grass, reeds, and leaves commonly lashed to a thick stand of cattail stalks just above water.

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