In late March my father and I returned to a local wetlands park we’d not visited in some time. While there I photographed a nicely posed red-winged blackbird.

This is a good example of how male red-winged blackbirds are able to hide the majority of their red epaulets when they want to, covering them with black feathers. They might display more red when trying to impress a female blackbird, or when they want to show dominance over other nearby males, perhaps as a way of marking their territory and willingness to protect it. 

Do you enjoy these posts?

Sign up to receive periodic emails with updates and thoughts. Don’t worry, I won’t spam you. And please consider purchasing artwork or products from my online store, and using my affiliate links in the sidebar to the right when shopping online.

I appreciate your support!