75 Red-Winged Blackbird

• A group of Red-winged Blackbirds are called a; Cloud / Cluster / Merl.
• It is great to see them back this spring.  They have such a cheerful song. I stopped and listened to this one and took a few pictures.  These birds love to sing.  Notably after a rain and on through mating season.  Well they have 2 or 3 clutches a year so mating season is on going, no wonder he is singing.
• The Red-winged Blackbird is polygamous, meaning he mates with more than one female and she will mate with another if he is busy.  He will have a territory with up to 10 females that he defends and sings for.
• The female, with a bit of help from the male, will build a new cup shaped nest for each clutch in reeds or cattails, willows and grasses.
• They eat insects, seeds, fruit and nuts.
• In the spring a Cloud of them appear and then a Cloud again in the fall before heading south.  In the fall this is one of the first signs of the coming of winter is the Cluster of Blackbirds getting ready to head south.
• The nests are victim to snakes, mink, raccoons, skunks, and birds.  They also fall victim to brood parasites like Brown-headed Cowbird who lays their eggs in the nest for the Blackbird to raise.
• They will chase away large predator birds.  This is very common.