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The Attacking Red-winged BlackbirdBlackbirds Aggressively Defend Territory and Young
Every year, during the breeding season, there are reports of Red-winged Blackbirds attacking people. The birds are just scaring off predators and rivals.
It could happen almost anywhere in Canada except in the far north, in the contiguous United States near the border with Canada, and in southern Alaska: a black bird dives on a hapless human—usually a pedestrian or biker—pulling hair and possibly leaving a few minor scalp scratches. The bird is a little smaller than an American Robin, with black feathers, legs, beak, and eyes. The only other colour is a brilliant red patch on the shoulder, often bordered on its lower edge by a band of yellow. It’s a breeding male Red-winged Blackbird, Agelaius phoeniceus. Why Do Red-winged Blackbirds Attack People?Male Agelaius phoeniceus are aggressive defenders of breeding territory, spending up to a quarter of their time trying to frighten away rivals and predators. They have good reason to be jealous—a typical male mates with over a dozen females and eggs in the nest tend to have different fathers. Nevertheless, once the nest contains eggs and, later, young, the male vigorously defends it. When the birds attack humans, they’re merely fending off intruders they perceive to be threats. When Do Red-winged Blackbirds Attack?Attacks occur during the breeding season. Agelaius phoeniceus spends winters in the United States and Central America, but it’s one of the first birds to return in spring and is breeding in some areas by April. The breeding season continues into late fall, by which time Red-winged Blackbirds are migrating south and congregating in roosts. Breeding Habitat of the Red-winged BlackbirdThe species typically nests in wetlands over water—a cup-shaped nest of twigs and mud, often attached between two upright reeds. The male bird can sometimes be seen perched on the top of a reed or bulrush. The blackbirds forage for food in nearby meadows and croplands. An increase in the amount of agricultural land in the last century has probably contributed to a rise in the population of Red-winged Blackbirds, now estimated at about two hundred million birds. Other Problems With Red-winged BlackbirdsAgelaius phoeniceus only attacks during the breeding season, and even then, it’s only the male, and he’s not truly dangerous. In the winter months, however, people dislike the birds because they flock together in huge numbers—sometimes millions of birds. They sometimes eat grain crops and they can be noisy and smelly. People fear that they spread disease. While there’s some truth to all of this, Red-winged blackbirds are also important consumers of insects and weed seeds, so they have their good points as well. Sources:Atlas of Bird Migration. Elphick, Jonathan ed. Buffalo: Firefly Books, 2007. Firefly Encyclopedia of Birds. Perrins, Christopher ed. Buffalo: Firefly Books, 2003 “Red-winged Blackbird.” Cornell Lab of Ornithology: All About Birds Smithsonian Field Guide to the Birds of North America. Floyd, Ted. New York: HarperCollins; 2008.
The copyright of the article The Attacking Red-winged Blackbird in Birds is owned by Rosemary Drisdelle. Permission to republish The Attacking Red-winged Blackbird in print or online must be granted by the author in writing.
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