A group of red-winged blackbirds is called a flock, murmuration, or watch of redwing blackbirds. Red-winged blackbirds are a common sight across much of North America and gather in large flocks ranging from small groups to hundreds or thousands of birds. The large flocks form impressive aerial displays across marshes and fields. Understanding the terminology for groups of redwing blackbirds can help appreciate the scale of these birds’ social behavior.
What is a Redwing Blackbird?
The red-winged blackbird (Agelaius phoeniceus) is a passerine bird found across much of North and Central America. These blackbirds are medium-sized songbirds with a distinctive plumage pattern. Adult male redwing blackbirds have jet black bodies with bright red and yellow shoulder patches called epaulets. Females are dark brown with streaked breast feathers.
Redwings inhabit open grassy areas near water and wetlands across their range. They often perch conspicuously on cattails and bulrushes. Redwings are omnivorous and eat insects, seeds, and grain. They are vocally territorial birds, with males defending nesting areas with loud calls.
Some key facts about red-winged blackbirds:
Species and Classification
– Scientific Name: Agelaius phoeniceus
– Family: Icteridae
– Genus: Agelaius
– Order: Passeriformes
Size and Appearance
– Length: 6.7-9.1 in
– Wingspan: 12.2-15.8 in
– Weight: 1.1-2.7 oz
– Males are black with red and yellow shoulder patches.
– Females are dark brown with streaked paler breast.
Habitat and Range
– Found across much of North America.
– Range extends from Alaska and Canada south to Mexico.
– Prefers open habitats with water nearby.
– Common in marshes, wet meadows, and agricultural areas.
Behavior and Ecology
– Omnivorous – eats insects, grains, seeds
– Males are territorial and defend nesting sites.
– Forms large flocks outside of breeding season.
– Partially migratory populations move south for winter.
What Do You Call a Group of Redwing Blackbirds?
There are a few different terms used to describe a group of red-winged blackbirds:
A Flock
A general term for a group of birds including blackbirds is a flock. This is used to describe any gathering of blackbirds, from a few individuals up to a large assemblage. Calling them a “flock of redwings” is common and accurate.
A Murmuration
A more specific term for a flock of redwing blackbirds in flight is a murmuration. This poetically describes the swirling, synchronized movements of huge numbers of birds wheeling through the sky together.
A Watch
Another specialized term used for a flock of blackbirds or starlings is a watch. This refers to their flocking behavior when not breeding or migrating. When feeding in fields, blackbirds form a watch that acts as a coordinated unit.
A Colony
When nesting together in the breeding season, a group of redwings can also be called a colony. They form dense colonies in marshes consisting of up to hundreds of nesting pairs.
Typical Flock Sizes
Redwing blackbird flocks can range dramatically in size:
– Small feeding flocks – Less than 50 birds
– Large feeding flocks – Up to 500 birds
– Huge migratory flocks – Over 500,000 birds!
The average flock size depends on the time of year:
Breeding Season Flocks
During spring and summer breeding months, redwings are most commonly seen in smaller groups near nesting sites. These flocks range from a mating pair up to several dozen birds.
| Flock Type | Typical Size |
|---|---|
| Mated pair | 2 birds |
| Small colony | 10-50 birds |
| Large colony | 50-100 birds |
Non-breeding Flocks
In fall and winter when not nesting, redwings form much larger flocks that travel and feed together. These off-season flocks can number in the hundreds or thousands.
| Flock Type | Typical Size |
|---|---|
| Feeding flock | 10-500 birds |
| Roosting flock | 500-5000 birds |
| Huge flock | 5000+ birds |
Migrating Flocks
During migration periods, redwings can create some of the largest bird assemblages in the world. Massive migratory flocks have been estimated to contain upwards of 500,000 individual birds! These enormous gatherings demonstrate the impressive collective behavior of redwings on the move.
Notable Redwing Blackbird Roosts
Some exceptionally large redwing blackbird flocks at seasonal roosting sites have attracted public interest and scientific study.
Rio Grande Valley, Texas
Along the Rio Grande River in South Texas, enormous flocks of up to 500,000 redwings descend into sugar cane fields to roost each winter. The massive scale of these seasonal flocks makes for an incredible sight.
Oaks Bottom, Portland, Oregon
Portland’s Oaks Bottom wildlife refuge hosts winter roosts of up to 250,000 redwings each year. The birds flock to the wetlands’ cattails and fields each evening in swirling, deafening murmurations before settling in to roost.
Somerset, Kentucky
In the 1950s, Somerset, Kentucky hosted a record-breaking winter roost of around 2.5 million redwing blackbirds! The huge roost caused major disruptions with droppings and noise issues. Authorities eventually dispersed the massive flock using fire hoses.
Why Do Redwing Blackbirds Form Large Flocks?
Red-winged blackbirds congregate in exceptionally large flocks for several important reasons:
Social Behavior
Redwings are highly social birds even outside of the breeding season when they are not defending territories. They actively seek out the company of other blackbirds in communal flocks.
Food Seeking
Flocking improves their ability to efficiently locate plentiful sources of food across vast areas. More birds can cover ground to find hotspots.
Predator Protection
Large numbers provide safety through dilution. Being part of a huge flock lowers risks to any single bird from predators.
Thermoregulation
Huddling together in roosts allows redwings to conserve heat on cold nights, especially important in northern winters.
Interesting Redwing Flocking Behaviors
When travelling in flocks, redwing blackbirds display incredible aerial coordination and complex social behaviors:
Synchronized Flight
Flocks of redwings wheel and dive in tight synchrony, acting like a single superorganism in flight. Individuals constantly signal positioning with calls.
Wave Murmurations
Larger flocks form astonishing patterns like waves and swirls that ripple and reform across the flock as it moves.
Communal Roosting
At roost sites, the birds arrange themselves side-by-side on branches and cattails in dense, packed groups.
Information Sharing
Through calls and flight signals, flock members rapidly share locations of prime food sources and threats.
Conclusion
A group of redwing blackbirds has many poetic names from a watch to a murmuration. While redwings form breeding colonies of hundreds of birds, their most spectacular gatherings are the enormous flocks of the non-breeding season. Flocks can merge into staggering roosts of a half million or more birds. The redwings unite into these great numbers for safety, warmth, and communal living. Their graceful synchronicity in flight and complex behaviors make redwing blackbird flocks a wonder of nature. Whether you call them a flock, colony, watch, or murmuration, a mass of swirling redwings across a winter sky remains an unforgettable sight.
