{"id":49032,"date":"2017-10-19T05:35:53","date_gmt":"2017-10-19T11:35:53","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/?p=49032"},"modified":"2025-10-30T15:23:08","modified_gmt":"2025-10-30T20:23:08","slug":"juvenile-red-winged-blackbird-male-diving-towards-the-ground","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/2017\/10\/19\/juvenile-red-winged-blackbird-male-diving-towards-the-ground\/","title":{"rendered":"Immature Red-winged Blackbird Male Diving Towards The Ground"},"content":{"rendered":"

\"ImmatureImmature male Red-winged Blackbird diving towards the ground – Nikon D500, f7.1, 1\/2000, ISO 640, Nikkor 500mm VR with 1.4x TC, natural light<\/span><\/p>\n

The plumage of male immature Red-winged Blackbirds is highly variable during their first year, some of the young blackbirds can look like females and some can look more like adult males.<\/p>\n

Red-winged Blackbirds are sexually dimorphic, adult males are primarily all glossy black with red and yellow epaulets while the females are a streaky dusky to brown with a light “eyebrow” that can be white to buff to salmon colored. Females are often confused with sparrows and other bird species by novice birders and bird photographers.<\/p>\n

The young Red-winged Blackbird male in my photo above looks more like an adult male than a female. Instead of being all glossy black though this young male has rusty to buffy edges on the feathers of his head, nape, mantle, coverts, back and tail. His epaulets are orange with black mottling instead of red and yellow.<\/p>\n

When I photographed him on Antelope Island State Park<\/span><\/a> two days ago he and a flock of other Red-winged Blackbirds were feeding on the wild sunflower seeds, he had been perched on a stem next to a seed head and I happened to photograph him as he dove towards the ground after a seed he had dropped.<\/p>\n

Normally this photo would have been consigned to my delete bin because of the lack of eye contact but I decided to keep it because I liked the diving pose, the spread wings, the lifted tail, that one foot is still touching the sunflower stem and how well this image shows the plumage phase of this individual juvenile male bird.<\/p>\n

I do wish I would have had eye contact with him and that the seed head under the bird’s right wing hadn’t been there but this is a bird not a model and they do what they want to when they want to, where they want to and how they want to. I wouldn’t have it any other way.<\/p>\n

Life is<\/em> good.<\/p>\n

Mia<\/p>\n

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

The plumage of male juvenile Red-winged Blackbirds is highly variable during their first year, some of the young blackbirds can look like females and some can look more like adult males.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":162361,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","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":[511,27,1022,419,26],"tags":[4151,970,3813,3483,4159,4620,1098,4341,4067,4071,4062,4324,6182,105],"class_list":["post-49032","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-antelope-island-state-park","category-avian","category-davis-county-utah","category-red-winged-blackbirds","category-utah","tag-agelaius-phoeniceus","tag-autumn","tag-blackbird","tag-blackbirds","tag-diving","tag-fall","tag-first-year","tag-hatch-year-bird","tag-immature","tag-juvenile","tag-male","tag-red-winged-blackbird","tag-sexually-dimorphic","tag-sunflowers"],"aioseo_notices":[],"jetpack_featured_media_url":"https:\/\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/10\/red-winged-blackbird-male-juvenile-mia-mcpherson-9524.jpg","jetpack_shortlink":"https:\/\/wp.me\/p11Mom-cKQ","jetpack_sharing_enabled":true,"jetpack-related-posts":[{"id":47290,"url":"https:\/\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/2017\/06\/14\/female-red-winged-blackbirds-frequency-in-misidentification\/","url_meta":{"origin":49032,"position":0},"title":"Female Red-winged Blackbirds – Frequency in Misidentification","author":"Mia McPherson","date":"June 14, 2017","format":false,"excerpt":"Female Red-winged Blackbirds seem to be the birds that are most often misidentified probably because they look so different from the males. Red-winged Blackbirds are sexually dimorphic .","rel":"","context":"In "Bear River Migratory Bird Refuge"","block_context":{"text":"Bear River Migratory Bird Refuge","link":"https:\/\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/category\/locations\/utah\/bear-river-migratory-bird-refuge\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"Female Red-winged Blackbird near her nest at the north beach of Fort De Soto County Park, Florida","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/09\/red-winged-black-bird-mangroves-mia-mcpherson-5891.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/09\/red-winged-black-bird-mangroves-mia-mcpherson-5891.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/09\/red-winged-black-bird-mangroves-mia-mcpherson-5891.jpg?resize=525%2C300&ssl=1 1.5x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/09\/red-winged-black-bird-mangroves-mia-mcpherson-5891.jpg?resize=700%2C400&ssl=1 2x"},"classes":[]},{"id":37993,"url":"https:\/\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/2016\/04\/09\/first-spring-red-winged-blackbird-males\/","url_meta":{"origin":49032,"position":1},"title":"First Spring Red-winged Blackbird Males","author":"Mia McPherson","date":"April 9, 2016","format":false,"excerpt":"Yesterday at Bear River Migratory Bird Refuge I was able to photograph several first spring Red-winged Blackbird males.","rel":"","context":"In "Bear River Migratory Bird Refuge"","block_context":{"text":"Bear River Migratory Bird Refuge","link":"https:\/\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/category\/locations\/utah\/bear-river-migratory-bird-refuge\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"First spring male Red-winged Blackbird back view, Bear River Migratory Bird Refuge, Box Elder County, Utah","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/10\/red-winged-blackbird-immature-male-mia-mcpherson-5353.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-immature-male-mia-mcpherson-5353.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/10\/red-winged-blackbird-immature-male-mia-mcpherson-5353.jpg?resize=525%2C300&ssl=1 1.5x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/10\/red-winged-blackbird-immature-male-mia-mcpherson-5353.jpg?resize=700%2C400&ssl=1 2x"},"classes":[]},{"id":141525,"url":"https:\/\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/2025\/03\/12\/male-red-winged-blackbird-on-corn-stalks\/","url_meta":{"origin":49032,"position":2},"title":"Male Red-winged Blackbird On Corn Stalks","author":"Mia McPherson","date":"March 12, 2025","format":false,"excerpt":"On my most recent trip to Sequoyah National Wildlife Refuge, I photographed an immature male Red-winged Blackbird perched on a corn stalk in a field.","rel":"","context":"In "Birds"","block_context":{"text":"Birds","link":"https:\/\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/category\/avian\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"Young male Red-winged Blackbird at Sequoyah National Wildlife Refuge, Oklahoma","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/03\/red-winged-blackbird-male-end-winter-mia-mcpherson-7443.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/03\/red-winged-blackbird-male-end-winter-mia-mcpherson-7443.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/03\/red-winged-blackbird-male-end-winter-mia-mcpherson-7443.jpg?resize=525%2C300&ssl=1 1.5x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/03\/red-winged-blackbird-male-end-winter-mia-mcpherson-7443.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":49032,"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 "Birds"","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":49032,"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 "Birds"","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":65045,"url":"https:\/\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/2020\/02\/22\/male-red-winged-blackbirds-are-displaying-on-territory\/","url_meta":{"origin":49032,"position":5},"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 "Birds"","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":[]}],"jetpack_likes_enabled":true,"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/49032","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=49032"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/49032\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/162361"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=49032"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=49032"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=49032"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}