Red-winged Blackbird (Agelaius phoeniceus) is in the New World Blackbirds and Orioles family (Icteridae). Across the U.S., iNaturalist users have logged 212,933 research-grade observations of it in our sample, peaking in April.
Seasonal pattern in the national data: seasonal. Counts also reflect when people are out photographing, so compare months within a state rather than across states.
When to photograph Red-winged Blackbird: observations by month (U.S.)
About Red-winged Blackbird
The red-winged blackbird (Agelaius phoeniceus) is a passerine bird of the family Icteridae found in most of North America and much of Central America. It breeds from Alaska and Newfoundland south to Florida, the Gulf of Mexico, Mexico, and Guatemala, with isolated populations in western El Salvador, northwestern Honduras, and northwestern Costa Rica. It may winter as far north as Pennsylvania and British Columbia, but northern populations are generally migratory, moving south to Mexico and the...From Wikipedia via iNaturalist — article, CC BY-SA.
Red-winged Blackbird by state
| State | Observations | Peak month | Main season |
|---|---|---|---|
| California | 26,937 | April | Jan–Jun |
| Texas | 23,782 | April | Jan–May |
| Illinois | 13,152 | April | Mar–Jul |
| New York | 10,824 | April | Mar–Jul |
| Ohio | 10,282 | May | Mar–Jun |
| Florida | 9,753 | April | Jan–Jun |
| Pennsylvania | 9,404 | April | Mar–Jun |
| Massachusetts | 7,837 | May | Mar–Jun |
| Washington | 7,786 | April | Mar–Jun |
| Maryland | 7,128 | April | Mar–Jun |
| Colorado | 6,679 | May | Mar–Jul |
| Minnesota | 6,341 | May | Apr–Jun |
| Wisconsin | 6,184 | May | Mar–Jul |
| Michigan | 5,962 | April | Mar–Jul |
| Virginia | 5,725 | April | Mar–Jul |
| Oregon | 5,075 | May | Feb–Jun |
| New Jersey | 4,759 | May | Mar–Jul |
| Vermont | 2,795 | May | Mar–Jun |
| Arizona | 2,609 | April | Dec–Jun |
| Indiana | 2,531 | April | Mar–Jun |
| Louisiana | 2,454 | April | Feb–May |
| Utah | 2,388 | April | Mar–Jun |
| South Carolina | 2,046 | April | Jan–Jun |
| North Carolina | 2,014 | April | Jan–Jul |
| Idaho | 1,908 | April | Mar–Jun |
| Tennessee | 1,866 | April | Feb–Jul |
| Missouri | 1,791 | May | Mar–Jun |
| New Mexico | 1,720 | April | Nov–Jul |
| Iowa | 1,698 | May | Mar–Jul |
| Alabama | 1,671 | April | Oct–Jun |
| Oklahoma | 1,591 | April | Mar–May |
| Connecticut | 1,580 | May | Mar–Jul |
| Georgia | 1,559 | April | Dec–Jul |
| Nebraska | 1,296 | May | Apr–Jun |
| Arkansas | 1,213 | May | Feb–Jul |
| Delaware | 1,168 | May | Feb–Jul |
| Kansas | 1,058 | April | Mar–Jun |
| Maine | 879 | May | Apr–Jul |
| Montana | 838 | May | Apr–Jul |
| South Dakota | 835 | May | Apr–Jul |
| Kentucky | 825 | April | Mar–Jun |
| New Hampshire | 770 | May | Apr–Jul |
| Nevada | 741 | May | Jan–Jun |
| West Virginia | 640 | May | Mar–Jun |
| District of Columbia | 637 | April | Mar–Jul |
| Mississippi | 617 | April | Jan–Jul |
| Rhode Island | 611 | May | Apr–Jul |
| Wyoming | 568 | June | Apr–Jul |
| North Dakota | 316 | June | Apr–Jul |
| Alaska | 90 | May | Mar–Jun |
Main season = months with at least 30% of the state's peak-month count.
Related birds (New World Blackbirds and Orioles)
Great-tailed Grackle
Brown-headed Cowbird
Common Grackle
Baltimore Oriole
Brewer's Blackbird
Boat-tailed Grackle
Western Meadowlark
Hooded Oriole
Photography tips
- Use a fast shutter (1/2000 s or faster) for birds in flight.
- Focus on the eye and shoot at the bird's eye level.
- Approach slowly and stop if the bird changes behavior; never bait or flush birds.
- Morning activity peaks in the first two hours after sunrise.
FAQ
When is the best time to photograph Red-winged Blackbird?
Nationally, April has the most observations, with the main season from March to June.
Where is Red-winged Blackbird most often seen?
The most observations come from California, Texas, Illinois.