{"id":122239,"date":"2024-03-01T04:26:29","date_gmt":"2024-03-01T11:26:29","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/?p=122239"},"modified":"2025-05-08T09:01:35","modified_gmt":"2025-05-08T14:01:35","slug":"male-red-winged-blackbird-singing-in-a-marsh","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/2024\/03\/01\/male-red-winged-blackbird-singing-in-a-marsh\/","title":{"rendered":"Male Red-winged Blackbird Singing In A Marsh"},"content":{"rendered":"<p>One week ago, my ears were delighted to hear this male Red-winged Blackbird singing and calling on the marsh at Farmington Bay WMA. His display was mesmerizing.<\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: center;\" data-wp-editing=\"1\"><img decoding=\"async\" class=\"lazyload aligncenter wp-image-143474 size-full\" title=\"Male Red-winged Blackbird singing in February, Farmington Bay WMA, Davis County, Utah\" src=\"https:\/\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/05\/red-winged-blackbird-male-singing-mia-mcpherson-9213.jpg\" data-orig-src=\"https:\/\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/05\/red-winged-blackbird-male-singing-mia-mcpherson-9213.jpg\" alt=\"Male Red-winged Blackbird singing in February, Farmington Bay WMA, Davis County, Utah\" width=\"900\" height=\"643\" srcset=\"data:image\/svg+xml,%3Csvg%20xmlns%3D%27http%3A%2F%2Fwww.w3.org%2F2000%2Fsvg%27%20width%3D%27900%27%20height%3D%27643%27%20viewBox%3D%270%200%20900%20643%27%3E%3Crect%20width%3D%27900%27%20height%3D%27643%27%20fill-opacity%3D%220%22%2F%3E%3C%2Fsvg%3E\" data-srcset=\"https:\/\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/05\/red-winged-blackbird-male-singing-mia-mcpherson-9213-200x143.jpg 200w, https:\/\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/05\/red-winged-blackbird-male-singing-mia-mcpherson-9213-300x214.jpg 300w, https:\/\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/05\/red-winged-blackbird-male-singing-mia-mcpherson-9213-400x286.jpg 400w, https:\/\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/05\/red-winged-blackbird-male-singing-mia-mcpherson-9213-600x429.jpg 600w, https:\/\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/05\/red-winged-blackbird-male-singing-mia-mcpherson-9213-768x549.jpg 768w, https:\/\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/05\/red-winged-blackbird-male-singing-mia-mcpherson-9213.jpg 900w\" data-sizes=\"auto\" data-orig-sizes=\"(max-width: 900px) 100vw, 900px\" \/><span style=\"color: #808080;\">Male Red-winged Blackbird singing in February \u2013 Nikon D500, f8, 1\/400, ISO 500, +0.3 EV, Nikkor 500mm VR with 1.4x TC, natural light<\/span><\/p>\n<p>Male Red-winged Blackbirds are striking with their glossy black plumage and red and yellow epaulets; they stand out in the field. Their <a href=\"https:\/\/xeno-canto.org\/817008\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\"><span style=\"text-decoration: underline;\">calls and songs<\/span><\/a> floating over the marsh are a true auditory delight for me.<\/p>\n<p>Typically, at this time of the year, I might have had snow in the background of this photo. But this hasn&#8217;t been a typical winter at all.<\/p>\n<p>The day I photographed this male blackbird started off cold, but as the sun rose, the temperature rose quickly. I had already peeled off my jacket by the time I had this blackbird in my viewfinder.<\/p>\n<p>Very soon the male Red-winged Blackbirds will be displaying, singing, and calling more frequently for the females. Just the thought of that makes me happy.<\/p>\n<p>This species is abundant across much of North America, but I try to never take them for granted. I spent a lot of my childhood and early adulthood in Europe where I didn&#8217;t see this species. That taught me to appreciate them whenever I have them in my viewfinder.<\/p>\n<p>That is a gift that being a Military Brat gives that other people might not understand as well.<\/p>\n<p>The Yellow-headed Blackbirds will be joining the Red-winged Blackbirds on the marshes and wetlands, adding their &#8220;rusty gate swinging in the wind&#8221; calls. Yes, the marshes will be filled with songs and calls very soon.<\/p>\n<p>Spring isn&#8217;t all that far away now.<\/p>\n<p>Life<em> is<\/em> good.<\/p>\n<p>Mia<\/p>\n<p>Click <a href=\"https:\/\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/red-winged-blackbird-images\/\"><span style=\"text-decoration: underline;\">here<\/span><\/a> to see more of my Red-winged Blackbird photos plus facts and information about this species.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>One week ago, my ears were delighted to hear this male Red-winged Blackbird singing and calling on the marsh at Farmington Bay WMA. His display was mesmerizing.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":143474,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"jetpack_post_was_ever_published":false,"_jetpack_newsletter_access":"","_jetpack_dont_email_post_to_subs":false,"_jetpack_newsletter_tier_id":0,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paywalled_content":false,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paid_content":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[27,1022,697,419,26],"tags":[4004,4151,3813,3483,4072,779,4062,4094,4104,4059,6428,4324,4179,4095,373],"class_list":["post-122239","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-avian","category-davis-county-utah","category-farmington-bay-wma","category-red-winged-blackbirds","category-utah","tag-adult","tag-agelaius-phoeniceus","tag-blackbird","tag-blackbirds","tag-calling","tag-displaying","tag-male","tag-marsh","tag-perched","tag-phragmites","tag-phrags","tag-red-winged-blackbird","tag-singing-2","tag-wetlands","tag-winter"],"aioseo_notices":[],"jetpack_featured_media_url":"https:\/\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/05\/red-winged-blackbird-male-singing-mia-mcpherson-9213.jpg","jetpack_shortlink":"https:\/\/wp.me\/p11Mom-vNB","jetpack_sharing_enabled":true,"jetpack-related-posts":[{"id":55877,"url":"https:\/\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/2019\/01\/31\/red-winged-blackbird-male-singing-in-january\/","url_meta":{"origin":122239,"position":0},"title":"Red-winged Blackbird Male Singing In January","author":"Mia McPherson","date":"January 31, 2019","format":false,"excerpt":"It has been nearly a year since I posted any photos of Red-winged Blackbirds and since I took photos of a cooperative, sticky male yesterday I thought I should rectify that situation and share two photos here this morning.","rel":"","context":"In &quot;Birds&quot;","block_context":{"text":"Birds","link":"https:\/\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/category\/avian\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"Male Red-winged Blackbird singing in January, Farmington Bay WMA, Davis County, Utah","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/10\/red-winged-blackbird-male-singing-mia-mcpherson-8832.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/10\/red-winged-blackbird-male-singing-mia-mcpherson-8832.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/10\/red-winged-blackbird-male-singing-mia-mcpherson-8832.jpg?resize=525%2C300&ssl=1 1.5x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/10\/red-winged-blackbird-male-singing-mia-mcpherson-8832.jpg?resize=700%2C400&ssl=1 2x"},"classes":[]},{"id":65045,"url":"https:\/\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/2020\/02\/22\/male-red-winged-blackbirds-are-displaying-on-territory\/","url_meta":{"origin":122239,"position":1},"title":"Male Red-winged Blackbirds Are Displaying On Territory","author":"Mia McPherson","date":"February 22, 2020","format":false,"excerpt":"Two days ago there were plenty of male Red-winged Blackbirds singing and putting on displays in the marshy areas of Farmington Bay WMA.","rel":"","context":"In &quot;Birds&quot;","block_context":{"text":"Birds","link":"https:\/\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/category\/avian\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"Male Red-winged Blackbird Song Spread, Farmington Bay WMA, Davis County, Utah","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/05\/red-winged-blackbird-displaying-mia-mcpherson-2276.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/05\/red-winged-blackbird-displaying-mia-mcpherson-2276.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/05\/red-winged-blackbird-displaying-mia-mcpherson-2276.jpg?resize=525%2C300&ssl=1 1.5x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/05\/red-winged-blackbird-displaying-mia-mcpherson-2276.jpg?resize=700%2C400&ssl=1 2x"},"classes":[]},{"id":78690,"url":"https:\/\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/2021\/02\/01\/male-red-winged-blackbirds-are-singing\/","url_meta":{"origin":122239,"position":2},"title":"Male Red-winged Blackbirds Are Singing","author":"Mia McPherson","date":"February 1, 2021","format":false,"excerpt":"I drove to Bear River Migratory Bird Refuge yesterday morning where I heard male Red-winged Blackbirds singing in the marsh.","rel":"","context":"In &quot;Birds&quot;","block_context":{"text":"Birds","link":"https:\/\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/category\/avian\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"Adult Red-winged Blackbird male singing in February, Farmington Bay WMA, Davis County, Utah","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/10\/red-winged-blackbird-adult-male-singing-mia-mcpherson-3655.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/10\/red-winged-blackbird-adult-male-singing-mia-mcpherson-3655.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/10\/red-winged-blackbird-adult-male-singing-mia-mcpherson-3655.jpg?resize=525%2C300&ssl=1 1.5x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/10\/red-winged-blackbird-adult-male-singing-mia-mcpherson-3655.jpg?resize=700%2C400&ssl=1 2x"},"classes":[]},{"id":60965,"url":"https:\/\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/2019\/10\/22\/immature-male-red-winged-blackbird\/","url_meta":{"origin":122239,"position":3},"title":"Immature Male Red-winged Blackbird","author":"Mia McPherson","date":"October 22, 2019","format":false,"excerpt":"I photographed this young male Red-winged Blackbird singing at the top of a Russian olive tree at Farmington Bay WMA nine days ago.","rel":"","context":"In &quot;Birds&quot;","block_context":{"text":"Birds","link":"https:\/\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/category\/avian\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"Immature male Red-winged Blackbird singing from the top of a tree, Farmington Bay WMA, Davis County, Utah","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/02\/red-winged-blackbird-immature-male-singing-mia-mcpherson-8876.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/02\/red-winged-blackbird-immature-male-singing-mia-mcpherson-8876.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/02\/red-winged-blackbird-immature-male-singing-mia-mcpherson-8876.jpg?resize=525%2C300&ssl=1 1.5x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/02\/red-winged-blackbird-immature-male-singing-mia-mcpherson-8876.jpg?resize=700%2C400&ssl=1 2x"},"classes":[]},{"id":14662,"url":"https:\/\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/2014\/04\/01\/springtime-male-red-winged-blackbird-at-farmington-bay\/","url_meta":{"origin":122239,"position":4},"title":"Springtime Male Red-winged Blackbird At Farmington Bay","author":"Mia McPherson","date":"April 1, 2014","format":false,"excerpt":"Yesterday morning's sunny weather felt lovely compared to Sunday which was gray, windy, rainy and snowy and maybe this male Red-winged Blackbird was feeling the difference in weather too.","rel":"","context":"In &quot;Birds&quot;","block_context":{"text":"Birds","link":"https:\/\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/category\/avian\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"Red-winged Blackbird male on a spring day, Farmington Bay WMA, Davis County, Utah","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/10\/red-winged-blackbird-male-spring-mia-mcpherson-0977.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/10\/red-winged-blackbird-male-spring-mia-mcpherson-0977.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/10\/red-winged-blackbird-male-spring-mia-mcpherson-0977.jpg?resize=525%2C300&ssl=1 1.5x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/10\/red-winged-blackbird-male-spring-mia-mcpherson-0977.jpg?resize=700%2C400&ssl=1 2x"},"classes":[]},{"id":109625,"url":"https:\/\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/2023\/01\/15\/male-red-winged-blackbird-in-january\/","url_meta":{"origin":122239,"position":5},"title":"Male Red-winged Blackbird In January","author":"Mia McPherson","date":"January 15, 2023","format":false,"excerpt":"While I was at Farmington Bay WMA three days ago I stopped to photograph a male Red-winged Blackbird that I spotted on an old dead branch.","rel":"","context":"In &quot;Birds&quot;","block_context":{"text":"Birds","link":"https:\/\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/category\/avian\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"Male Red-winged Blackbird displaying in January, Farmington Bay WMA, Davis County, Utah","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/01\/red-winged-blackbird-displaying-mia-mcpherson-thumbnail-mia-mcpherson-8142.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/01\/red-winged-blackbird-displaying-mia-mcpherson-thumbnail-mia-mcpherson-8142.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/01\/red-winged-blackbird-displaying-mia-mcpherson-thumbnail-mia-mcpherson-8142.jpg?resize=525%2C300&ssl=1 1.5x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/01\/red-winged-blackbird-displaying-mia-mcpherson-thumbnail-mia-mcpherson-8142.jpg?resize=700%2C400&ssl=1 2x"},"classes":[]}],"jetpack_likes_enabled":true,"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/122239","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=122239"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/122239\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/143474"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=122239"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=122239"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=122239"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}