Red-winged Blackbird

Agelaius phoeniceus

Year-round in CharlotteCommon

The take

Conk-la-ree from the cattails — the sound of every wet greenway margin.

How to ID it

  • Males are glossy black with red-and-yellow shoulder badges
  • Females are dark brown and crisply streaked, often with a whitish eyebrow
  • Males belt out conk-la-ree from high perches; winter flocks can be huge

Field marks at a glance

Size
medium
Head
glossy black (male)
Call
gurgling conk-la-ree

Where & when

Year-round in Charlotte

Learn more

Sources