Red-winged Blackbird Frequently Asked Questions Students Ask and Experts Answer Contributed by Ornithology Expert Laura Erickson Characteristics size weight body systems physiology senses other physical characteristics communication Life Cycle longevity birth and growth reproduction and young heredity parenting behavior Ecology habitat and range niche food enemies adaptations migration populations distribution ecosystems Conservation threats/human impacts habitat loss conservation status historic population size conservation efforts, etc. Characteristics Why are they called red-winged blackbirds? What is the red-winged blackbird's scientific name and how is it classified? Size, Weight, and other Physical Characteristics How big are redwings? What do redwings weigh? What do redwings sound like? Why are some redwings all or partly white? What do redwings look like when they're flying? How fast do redwings fly? How are redwings different from and similar to other blackbirds? Body Systems and Physiology How is a redwing's body adapted to its lifestyle and habitat? Senses and Intelligence How do a redwing's senses compare with a human's? How smart are redwings? Communication How do redwings communicate? How can we study redwing songs? Life Cycle Longevity How long do redwings live? Do redwings mate for life? Reproduction What is a redwing nest like? How many eggs do redwings normally lay? What color are redwing eggs? How long does it take for redwing eggs to hatch? How much do newly-hatched redwings weigh? How do baby redwings keep their nest clean? When do young redwings learn to fly? Ecology Habitat and Range What is the range of the red-winged blackbird? What is the redwing's habitat? Niche What is the redwing's role in the ecosystem? What are a redwing's enemies? Food What do redwings eat? Migration How do scientists learn where the redwings from one state or province migrate for the winter? How do we participate in the Journey North Redwing Migration Study? Which returns first: males or females? Behavioral Adaptations: Migration What do redwings eat when getting ready for their migration? Do redwings travel together when they migrate? What might be some advantages for redwings to migrate in groups? Where do redwings spend the winter? Do redwings migrate by day or night? When do redwings leave their wintering grounds? Many neotropical migrants have a fairly regular migration from year to year. Why don't redwings depart at almost the identical time each spring? How do redwings prepare for the journey north? When do the redwings arrive in their breeding marshes? What do the redwings do first upon arrival back on their territories in the spring? What are some of the hazards that redwings face on their long migrations? Conservation What is the red-winged blackbird's' population status? Why do some people consider redwings to be pests? How can there be more redwings today than there were when the colonists first came to America? What are the biggest dangers facing redwings?