Blackbird Nests Views

General Goods

The Red-Winged Blackbird can be very aggressive while defending its territory from other animals and birds. It will attack much larger birds, such as crows, ravens, magpies, birds of prey and herons if they enter.[13] Males have been known to swoop humans who encroach upon their nesting territory during breeding season.[14][15] All of these birds are occasionally predators of blackbird nests and, with birds of prey, the leading predator of adult blackbirds. A wide variety of raptors takes red-winged blackbirds of all ages, even the Barn Owl (which usually only takes small mammals).[16] Additional predators of these birds and their nests include raccoons, mink, foxes, snakes and even marsh wrens, which are a competitor with the blackbird and eat their eggs when possible.[17][18]

Red-winged Blackbirds build their nests low among vertical shoots of marsh vegetation, shrubs, or trees. Females choose the nest site with some input from the male. Typically, she puts the nest near the ground (or water surface in a marsh), in dense, grass-like vegetation such as cattails, bulrushes, sedges, and Phragmites in wetlands; goldenrod, blackberry, or willow and alder trees in uplands; and wheat, barley, alfalfa, and rice plants.

Male Red-winged Blackbirds spend much of the breeding season sitting on a high perch over their territories and singing their hearts out. Females tend to slink through reeds and grasses collecting food or nest material. Both males and females defend nests from intruders and predators. Red-winged Blackbirds nest in loose groups in part because appropriate marshy habitat is scarce. Typically five or more (up to 15) females have to crowd their nests into any one male’s territory. They typically mate with the territory holder, though many also mate with nearby males. In fall and winter, Red-winged Blackbirds flock with other blackbirds, grackles, cowbirds, and starlings, feeding on open ground and roosting in flocks of thousands or millions of birds. Red-winged Blackbirds are strong, agile fliers.

Usually I wouldn't disturb a nest, but the tree the blackbirds chose is under our pergola and the branch holding the nest was being trained using some rope - which of course decided to snap yesterday. This left the nest in a rather precarious position with the fledglings in danger of toppling out onto the concrete about 8 feet below. BlackBird nests are cup shaped; constructed from dried grass and mud, and lined with fine grasses. They look quite comfy, but are by no means very solid.