Serenades: Red-winged Blackbird

The Red-winged Blackbird is one of the most recognizable and abundant birds in North America.

The males show bright red-and-yellow epaulets upon their wings, in stark contrast to their otherwise charcoal appearance. When you find one of these birds, it is usually not difficult to identify them.

But with that said, it can still be very helpful to understand and learn the songs and calls of this abundant species, as it will help you pick less common species songs and calls. It is generally quite typical for Red-winged Blackbirds to be in mixed flocks with many blackbird species. Often I’ll listen for Red-winged Blackbird flocks so I can more easily find the less common Rusty Blackbirds.

The song of the Red-winged Blackbird can be described as a harsh ru-conk-a-lee, and their calls a mix of harsh checks, and descending “tew” sounds.

For feedback you can contact me through Patreon, Discord, or email [e-mail]. Each episode is a paid subscriber exclusive. If and when I get more soundscape recordings of a species, I will go back and add the new content to the existing episode, so a given episode may grow in length over time.

What is Birdsong Serenades?

Learning to identify birdsong by ear can be a satisfying skill for anyone who has interest in birds and nature. In this podcast, birdsong recordist Rob Porter introduces you to the songs found in various habitats across North America.

Recordings are by Rob Porter.

Cover art is by Lauren Helton. https://tinylongwing.carbonmade.com/