Birds of the Week # 49
Photo Gallery
Red-winged Blackbird
Red-winged Blackbird (Agelaius phoeniceus) is a passerine bird of the family Icteridae found in most of North America and much of Central America. It breeds from Alaska and Newfoundland south to Florida, the Gulf of Mexico, Mexico, and Guatemala, with isolated populations in western El Salvador, northwestern Honduras, and northwestern Costa Rica. The male is unmistakable except in the far west of the US, where the tricolored blackbird occurs. Males of that species have a darker red epaulet edged with white, not yellow. Females of tricolored, bicolored, red-shouldered and red-winged blackbirds can be difficult to identify in areas where more than one form occurs. In flight, when the field marks are not easily seen, the red-winged blackbird can be distinguished from less closely related icterids such as common grackle and brown-headed cowbird by its different silhouette and undulating flight.
Mallard
Mallard (Anas platyrhynchos) is a dabbling duck that breeds throughout the temperate and subtropical Americas, Eurasia, and North Africa, and has been introduced to New Zealand, Australia, Peru, Brazil, Uruguay, Argentina, Chile, Colombia, the Falkland Islands, and South Africa. This duck belongs to the subfamily Anatinae of the waterfowl family Anatidae. The mallard is omnivorous and very flexible in its choice of food. Its diet may vary based on several factors, including the stage of the breeding cycle, short-term variations in available food, nutrient availability, and interspecific and intraspecific competition. The majority of the mallard’s diet seems to be made up of gastropods, insects (including beetles, flies, lepidopterans, dragonflies, and caddisflies), crustaceans, worms.
© HJ Ruiz – Avian101
H.J. Ruiz - Avian101 
Enjoyed seeing these birds that you chose for today. I love breeding season for the colours of plumage and courting behaviors. I even like hearing the Robin’s singing at 3 a.m.
Always remember, ” The early bird get the worm” the robins get their favorite meal, the worm. Thank you, Jane. 🙂
Thopse red wings form a beautiful contrast against the black HJ
Yes, it’s good looking bird, great combination of colors. Thanks, Ashely. 🙂
The red-and-black plumage of the male blackbird really makes him stand out from the crowd!
And I love how it seems that mallard is shouting something at the paparazzi taking her photograph while she’s out swimming! 😉
She must has known that I was shooting, because she was flirting like a model to the camera. I guess you perceived that emotion. Thank you, D. 🙂
Love them all.
I know you do, Cindy. Thank you so much. 🙂
Wonderful to celebrate these two bird species, H.J. This time of year it is such a treat to see the red-winged male showing off his bright epaulets. And I love mallards, they may be a common bird but they are uncommonly entertaining and beautiful.
You are correct, Jet, we have them here too. And, they are always a delight to see them. 🙂
Wow! I interned at a wildlife refuge in the USA on the Delmarva Península. I have seen many birds but never this one eye to eye. Stunning!
Birds are beautiful, always. Thanks! 🙂