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Do the math to color this red-winged blackbird.
It looks like a little black bird, but suddenly you see a patch of brilliant red on its wing. Is it hurt? No, it is a red-winged blackbird!
Red-winged blackbirds are often seen perched atop cattail reeds or tall stalks.
Do you try to arrive early to a movie or game to get a good seat? The male red-winged blackbird is one of the first birds to migrate north in the spring. It comes early to find the best nesting spot. It looks for a safe place that has plenty of food to raise a family.
Standards Links: Reading Comprehension: Follow multiple-step directions.
Red-winged blackbirds are songbirds with a repertoire of several different songs. The male red-winged blackbird’s is a classic sound heard in wetlands. Males often sing this one-second song from a high perch while leaning forward, drooping their
The males patrol and defend their territory by flying to the perimeters, or outer boundaries, and calling or puffing out their red wing patch for other males to see. The brown-streaked females show up a few weeks later and select the mate with the best nesting location. Males that select the most desirable locations may have from three to five mates.
wings, spreading their tail feathers, and fluffing their bright shoulder patches to show them off. Males and females make a or sound. If you hear a male make a or or maybe even sound, the male might be telling you that you’re too close and he feels threatened by you. It is best to leave the area and come back another day. is a series of high, short whistles that sound like whimpering. This is the courtship mating call of red-winged blackbirds.
This blackbird’s territory is 25 feet by 30 feet. To nd out the total area, multiply the length by the width. The bird’s territory is _____ square feet.
© Vicki Whiting March 2026
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