Red-winged Blackbird (Agelaius phoeniceus)
Found abundantly throughout North America, these birds arrival in Iowa indicate the early arrival of spring. These medium sized birds are most easily recognizable through the males, who are all black with bright red and yellow shoulder bars. Females are a duller brown color. Males are always out to get noticed, sitting high up and singing out loudly while defending their territory. Females tend to stay much closer to the ground, quietly going about their business. The species is polygamist, with males having multiple female mates, up to 15 in some cases. But ¼ of all siblings in nests in a male’s territory may have a different father than the male whose territory they are in.