Tricolored Blackbird

Agelaius tricolorOrder: PASSERIFORMES Family: Blackbirds and Orioles (Icteridae)

Codes: Common Name: TRBL Scientific Name: AGETRI ITIS Taxonomic No.: 179060

Breeding Location:

Grasslands, Wetlands

Breeding Type:

Polygamous, Colonial

Breeding Population:

Common to abundant

Egg Color:

Pale blue green eggs with fine dark lines or spots

Number of Eggs:

3 - 4

Incubation Days:

11 - 13

Egg Incubator:

Female

Nest Material:

Lined with fine grasses., Grass, Mud, Leaves

Migration:

Some migrate

General

Tricolored Blackbird: Medium-sized blackbird that is mostly black with a glossy blue tint overall. Shoulder patches are bright red and bordered with white. Female and juvenile have thickly brown-streaked upperparts and breasts, brown bellies and undertails, and pale eyebrows.

Range and Habitat

Tricolored Blackbird: Breeds in California, Oregon, Washington, Nevada, and Baja California. Oregon birds migrate south in winter; California birds are resident. Preferred habitats include annual grasslands, wet and dry vernal pools, and other seasonal wetlands.

Breeding and Nesting

Tricolored Blackbird: Three to four pale blue-green eggs with fine dark lines or spots are laid in a deep cup nest woven from grass, leaves, and mud, lined with fine grass, and bound to plant stems up to 6 feet above the water or ground. Incubation ranges from 11 to 13 days and is carried out by the female.

Foraging and Feeding

Tricolored Blackbird: Feeds on a variety of insects, other invertebrates, and seeds. Forages and roosts in large flocks in winter.

Readily Eats

Cracked Corn, Nut Meats, Suet, Millet

Vocalization

Tricolored Blackbird: Song is a harsh, low gurgle "on-ke-kaaangh." Call is "check."

Similar Species

Tricolored Blackbird: Red-winged Blackbird has a yellow, not white, shoulder patch border.

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Bird Call Credits: The Macaulay Library of Natural Sounds at the Cornell Lab of Ornithology. Martyn Stewart, http://www.naturesound.org, Redmond, Washington USA. The reuse or copying of bird calls in this database is strictly forbidden.

Tricolored Blackbird

Tricolored Blackbird: Medium-sized blackbird that is mostly black with a glossy blue tint overall. Shoulder patches are bright red and bordered with white. Lives in flocks year round.Feeds on insects, spiders, caterpillars, and seeds from weeds and grains. Strong direct flight on rapid wing beats.

● Song: "on-ke-kaaangh", "check"

● Foraging & Feeding: Tricolored Blackbird: Feeds on a variety of insects, other invertebrates, and seeds. Forages and roosts in large flocks in winter.

● Breeding & nesting: Tricolored Blackbird: Three to four pale blue-green eggs with fine dark lines or spots are laid in a deep cup nest woven from grass, leaves, and mud, lined with fine grass, and bound to plant stems up to 6 feet above the water or ground. Incubation ranges from 11 to 13 days and is carried out by the female.

● Similar species: Tricolored Blackbird: Red-winged Blackbird has a yellow, not white, shoulder patch border.

Flight Pattern

Strong swift direct flight on rapidly beating wings.

● Range & Habitat: Tricolored Blackbird: Breeds in California, Oregon, Washington, Nevada, and Baja California. Oregon birds migrate south in winter; California birds are resident. Preferred habitats include annual grasslands, wet and dry vernal pools, and other seasonal wetlands.

^BreedingPolygamous, Colonial

^PopulationCommon to abundant

^MigrationSome migrate

^Weight2.4 Ounces

Upperparts

Back, rump, hindneck, wings, and crown.

Shoulder

The short feathers overlying the median secondary coverts on the top of the wing. They are located near the back and can be seen as the “first row” of feathers on the birds wing. They are also called marginal coverts and lesser secondary coverts.

4 and 6 letter alpha codes

The four letter common name alpha code is is derived from the first two letters of the common first name and the first two letters of common last name. The six letter species name alpha code is derived from the first three letters of the scientific name (genus) and the first three letters of the scientific name (species). See (1) below for the rules used to create the codes..

Four-letter (for English common names) and six-letter (for scientific names) species alpha codes were developed by Pyle and DeSante (2003, North American Bird-Bander 28:64-79) to reflect A.O.U. taxonomy and nomenclature (A.O.U. 1998) as modified by Supplements 42 (Auk 117:847-858, 2000) and 43 (Auk 119:897-906, 2002). The list has been updated by Pyle and DeSante to reflect changes reported by the A.O.U from 2003 through 2006.

Field Guide to Birds of North America