{"id":37993,"date":"2016-04-09T06:47:00","date_gmt":"2016-04-09T12:47:00","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/?p=37993"},"modified":"2025-10-30T14:52:22","modified_gmt":"2025-10-30T19:52:22","slug":"first-spring-red-winged-blackbird-males","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/2016\/04\/09\/first-spring-red-winged-blackbird-males\/","title":{"rendered":"First Spring Red-winged Blackbird Males"},"content":{"rendered":"

\"FirstFirst spring male Red-winged Blackbird – Nikon D810, f7.1, 1\/1250, ISO 500, Nikkor 500mm VR with 1.4x TC, natural light
\n<\/span><\/p>\n

Yesterday at Bear River Migratory Bird Refuge I was able to photograph several first spring Red-winged Blackbird males. These blackbirds were hatched last year and haven’t yet developed their adult plumage or Definitive Basic Plumage.<\/p>\n

The plumage of first spring male Red-winged Blackbirds is variable. They aren’t an all over glossy looking black with flashy epaulets<\/a><\/span> at this age!<\/p>\n

\"SingingSinging first spring Red-winged Blackbird male – Nikon D810, f10, 1\/640, ISO 500, Nikkor 500mm VR with 1.4x TC, natural light<\/span><\/p>\n

Their epaulets are more orange, blackish or red-orange instead of bright red and yellow. These first two images show the same individual bird. The under part of the wings show more brown than black.<\/p>\n

Although this young male is singing on territory I am not sure they breed their first spring or if they wait until their second year when they have their adult plumage.<\/p>\n

\"FirstFirst spring male Red-winged Blackbird back view – Nikon D810, f8, 1\/1250, ISO 500, Nikkor 500mm VR with 1.4x TC, natural light<\/span><\/p>\n

This image shows the back view of a first spring Red-winged Blackbird<\/span><\/a> male with rufous and cream edges on his feathers that wouldn’t be seen in adult or Definitive Basic Plumage.<\/p>\n

This individual does not have a white bill, it appears to have been poking its bill into light colored soil or mud while foraging for prey and the mud has been caked on its bill.<\/p>\n

Life is<\/em> good. Birds make it more interesting for me.<\/p>\n

Mia<\/p>\n

To view more of my Red-winged Blackbird photos plus facts and information about this species click here<\/span><\/a>.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Yesterday at Bear River Migratory Bird Refuge I was able to photograph several first spring Red-winged Blackbird males.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":162349,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_jetpack_newsletter_access":"","_jetpack_dont_email_post_to_subs":true,"_jetpack_newsletter_tier_id":0,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paywalled_content":false,"_jetpack_feature_clip_id":0,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paid_content":false,"footnotes":"","jetpack_post_was_ever_published":false},"categories":[124,27,1148,419,26],"tags":[4151,3813,3483,4642,5047,4067,4071,4062,4324,4179],"class_list":["post-37993","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-bear-river-migratory-bird-refuge","category-avian","category-box-elder-county-utah","category-red-winged-blackbirds","category-utah","tag-agelaius-phoeniceus","tag-blackbird","tag-blackbirds","tag-definitive-basic-plumage","tag-first-spring","tag-immature","tag-juvenile","tag-male","tag-red-winged-blackbird","tag-singing-2"],"aioseo_notices":[],"aioseo_head":"\n\t\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t