A pond or lake without its quota of Red-Winged Blackbirds can hardly call itself aquatic. The bird’s kon-kar-ree means water. The males migrate in well ahead of the females so they can claim the best sites.
The red is only displayed when the male is guarding his territory. When migrating with other males it doesn’t show.
The female.
Female gathering nest-building materials.
Nest with a probable Cowbird egg. This will be explained under Cowbirds.
The nests are usually in cattails over water.