In the Skagit Valley of the Pacific Northwest, where the northern arm of the Salish Sea braces against the wide shoulders of the Cascade Mountains, the winters are long and soggy, and the forests and fields seem to hunker down under the weight of rain clouds. Spring here emerges slowly, like a grand unraveling. Snowlines slowly retreat up mountain slopes, and the sun lingers a little longer over the horizon.

As days lengthen and temperatures rise, the arrival of spring marks a transformation in ecosystems, with various species emerging to take advantage of warming temperatures and abundant resources. Among the first avian harbingers of spring to return to their breeding grounds in the marshes, wetlands, and open fields are male red-winged blackbirds (Agelaius phoeniceus). The species lives year-round throughout much of the United States including the Salish Sea region, while breeding populations in the northern Midwest states and Canada are migratory. When the males emerge from their winter retreats, they arrive at their breeding sites several weeks before the females, a behavior driven by the need to establish and defend territories.

opening notes to a tempest

Upon arrival at the breeding habitat, males engage in vigorous competition to secure the most desirable breeding areas and thereby attract females. The males perch high on cattails and reeds, puffing up their jet-black plumage and spreading their wings, accentuating their vivid red and yellow shoulder epaulettes, and singing loudly to assert dominance and mark territory. Their call is liquid and metallic, a triumphant “conk-la-ree!”  — the opening note of a vast, symphonic return. Though these birds are small, their voices carry far and wide over the marshes. In addition to their iconic “conk-la-ree!” song they produce a variety of calls, including alarm calls, contact calls, and aggressive chatter. The visual and vocal displays signal an invitation to potential mates and warnings to rivals.

Female red-winged blackbird among cattails. photo by John F. Williams

Interestingly, red-winged blackbirds exhibit a polygynous mating system, meaning that a single male may mate with multiple females within his territory. Polygyny can be advantageous in resource-rich environments by allowing dominant males to pass on their genes more broadly. In turn, females may mate with multiple males to maximize genetic diversity among their offspring.

Red-winged blackbird in reeds. photo by Tom Noland

a secret nest

Once a female selects a mate and nesting site, she begins constructing a nest, usually among dense vegetation that provides cover and protection from predators. The nest is a cup-shaped structure intricately woven from grasses, reeds, and other plant materials, with a soft lining to cushion the eggs.

Females typically lay three to five eggs, which are pale blue-green with dark streaks and speckles. The incubation period is about 11 to 14 days, during which the female remains vigilant, blending into her surroundings to avoid detection by predators. The male’s role during this period includes patrolling the territory and defending it from intruders, ranging from rival males to predators (such as snakes, raccoons, and larger birds) to humans.

While the males are busily protecting their territories, the females are the primary food providers for their chicks. Their diet is rich in insects and other invertebrates, ensuring the necessary protein for rapid growth. Nestlings grow quickly, developing feathers within 10 to 14 days. After leaving the nest, fledglings continue to depend on their parents for food and protection for several more weeks. By late spring or early summer, most juveniles are ready to fend for themselves, allowing the adults to focus on potential second broods.

Red-winged blackbird next to birdfeeder. photo by Lucienne Miodonski

The song of the red-winged blackbird is the sound of spring, a pulse of the Skagit Valley, and the echo of something timeless and enduring. On a spring morning in the Skagit Valley, it is easy to feel dwarfed by the scale of the world. Snow-capped mountains loom in the distance, the tides ebb and flow through estuaries, and overhead, the skies teem with life. In the midst of it all, there is a single reed, bending under the weight of a small blackbird singing a song that has been sung for millennia: “conk-la-ree!”

editor’s notes

Contributors to eBird have submitted nearly 17 million observations of red-winged blackbirds across the United States and Canada: https://ebird.org/species/rewbla

Despite these large numbers, overall populations of red-winged blackbirds are declining. The Cornell Lab of Ornithology estimated that since 1970, red-winged blackbird populations in North American have declined by 36% or 92 million birds. Learn more about bird population declines and what each person can do to help birds here: https://www.birds.cornell.edu/home/bring-birds-back/

Scientists have found that wetlands constructed to retain stormwater can provide habitat for red-winged blackbirds. See Sparling, D.W., Eisemann, J. & Kuenzel, W. “Nesting and foraging behavior of red-winged blackbirds in stormwater wetlands.” Urban Ecosystems 10, 1–15 (2007). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11252-006-0009-0

Urban areas are not without challenges for red-winged blackbirds, however. Traffic noise has a documented effect on their song patterns. See Cartwright, L.A., Taylor, D.R., Wilson, D.R. et al. “Urban noise affects song structure and daily patterns of song production in Red-winged Blackbirds (Agelaius phoeniceus).” Urban Ecosystems 17, 561–572 (2014). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11252-013-0318-z

For a less technical perspective, the audio series BirdNote has featured this species several times over the years:

• Blackbird expert Dr. Gordon Orians, who studied red-winged blackbirds in eastern Washington for many years, talks about how blackbirds use a unique “gape” to get at prey: https://www.birdnote.org/podcasts/birdnote-daily/gaping-blackbirds
• Writer Christian Cooper discusses how his “spark” bird lifts his spirits at the end of winter: https://www.birdnote.org/podcasts/birdnote-daily/spark-bird-christian-coopers-red-winged-blackbird
• Musician and writer Ray Young Bear explains how he took vocal lessons from red-winged blackbirds: https://www.birdnote.org/podcasts/birdnote-daily/learning-sing-blackbird

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