I know noble accents And lucid, inescapable rhythms…
I know noble accents And lucid, inescapable rhythms; But I know, too, That the blackbird is involved In what I know.
Quotation by Wallace Stevens
Tricolored Blackbird (male): Have you seen this bird?
The Tricolored Blackbird
The Tricolored or Tricoloured Blackbird, Agelaius tricolor, is a passerine bird of the family Icteridae.
The Tricolored Blackbird range is limited to the coastal areas of the Pacific coast of North America, from Northern California in the U.S. to upper Baja California in Mexico.
Despite the similar names, this bird is not related to the Old World Common Blackbird, which is a thrush (Turdidae).
Identification Tips:
• Length: 7.5 inches
• Sharply-pointed bill
• Frequents marshy habitats in summer, open habitats at other times of year
• Often flocks with other species of blackbirds
Adult male:
• Bright red patch on wings bordered by white
• Black plumage
• Immature male similar to female but has red shoulder
Adult female:
• Pale supercilium
• Heavily streaked breast
• Belly dark
• Upperparts black and white
• Sometimes has yellow tinge to face and throat
• Immature female similar to adult female
Similar species:
The male Red-winged Blackbird can be told from the male Tricolored Blackbird by its yellowish, not white, border to the red shoulder patch. Females are quite similar but Tricoloreds typically have darker bellies. Other species of blackbirds lack the red shoulder patch of the male and the streaked underparts of the female.
In 2006 the Tricolored Blackbird was classified as Endangered by BirdLife International. Like the extinct Passenger Pigeon, the colonial nature of the Tricolored Blackbird makes it particularly vulnerable to extinction.
Native grasslands once used for nesting and feeding have been lost to urban and agricultural development. Birds adapting to nesting in agricultural fields have been disturbed by harvesting during the breeding season.
I know noble accents And lucid, inescapable rhythms; But I know, too, That the blackbird is involved In what I know.
Quotation by Wallace Stevens
Bird Quotation Popularity Poll
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I know noble accents And lucid, inescapable rhythms; But I know, too, That the blackbird is involved In what I know.
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I value my garden more for being full of …
I value my garden more for being full of blackbirds than of cherries, and very frankly give them fruit for their songs.
A Joseph Addison Quotation
, : Have you seen this bird?
Red-winged Blackbird
The Red-winged Blackbird (Agelaius phoeniceus) is a passerine bird of the family Icteridae found in most of North and much of Central America.
Identification Tips:
• Length: 7.25 inches
• Sharply-pointed bill
• Frequents marshy habitats in summer, open habitats at other times of year
• Often flocks with other species of blackbirds
Adult male:
• Bright red patch on wings bordered by yellow (border missing in some races)
• Black plumage
• Immature male similar to adult male but has pale supercilium and brown edges to black feathers
Adult female:
• Pale supercilium
• Heavily streaked underparts
• Upperparts brown and white
• Sometimes has yellow tinge to face and throat
• Females very dark in some races
• Juveniles similar to adult females
The Red-winged Blackbird inhabits open grassy areas. It generally prefers wetlands, and inhabits both freshwater and saltwater marshes. It is also found in dry upland areas, where it such inhabits meadows, prairies, and old fields.
The Red-winged Blackbird is sexually dimorphic. Seeds and insects make up the bulk of the Red-winged Blackbird’s diet.
I value my garden more for being full of blackbirds than of cherries, and very frankly give them fruit for their songs.
A Joseph Addison Quotation
Bird Quotation Popularity Poll
(4 answers max)
- Loading ...
Add any comments below and/or indicate if you spotted this bird.
I value my garden more for being full of blackbirds than of cherries, and very frankly give them fruit for their songs.
Bird Quote Notice
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Related Blogs
Sing a song of sixpence, a pocket full of rye…
Sing a song of sixpence, a pocket full of rye, Four and twenty blackbirds, baked in a pie…
An old nursery rhyme
Rusty Blackbirds by Larry Meade - Huntley Meadows Park, Fairfax County, VA, 3-26-08
Rusty Blackbirds
Some information on the Rusty Blackbird.
Sing a Song of Sixpence
Sing a song of sixpence a pocket full of rye,
Four and twenty blackbirds baked in a pie.
When the pie was opened the birds began to sing,
Oh wasn’t that a dainty dish to set before the king?
The king was in his counting house counting out his money,
The queen was in the parlour eating bread and honey
The maid was in the garden hanging out the clothes,
When down came a blackbird and pecked off her nose!
More information on this famous rhyme:
Nursery Rhyme and History
What’s “Sing a Song of Sixpence” all about?
Sing a song of sixpence, a pocket full of rye, Four and twenty blackbirds, baked in a pie…
An old nursery rhyme
Bird Quotation Popularity Poll
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Sing a song of sixpence, a pocket full of rye, Four and twenty blackbirds, baked in a pie…
Bird Quote Notice
Please submit bird quotes, or your own bird quote. Enter the bird quote for others to enjoy by filling out the Submit form on the menu.
Blackbirds are the cellos of the deep farms
Blackbird: Have you seen this bird?
Blackbirds are the cellos of the deep farms.
An Anne Stevenson quotation
Common Blackbird
The Common Blackbird (Turdus merula), also called Eurasian Blackbird or simply Blackbird is a species of true thrush which breeds in Europe, Asia, and North Africa. It has been introduced to Australia and New Zealand.
Depending on latitude, the Common Blackbird may be resident, partially migratory or fully migratory.
This species breeds in woods and gardens, building a neat, mud-lined, cup-shaped nest.
It is omnivorous, eating a wide range of insects, earthworms, berries, and fruits.
This common species has given rise to a number of literary and cultural references, frequently related to its melodious song.
Blackbirds are the cellos of the deep farms.
An Anne Stevenson quotation
Bird Quotation Popularity Poll
(4 answers max)
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Add any comments below and/or indicate if you spotted this bird.
Blackbirds are the cellos of the deep farms.
Bird Quote Notice
Please submit bird sayings, bird quotes, bird poems, or your own bird quote. Enter the bird quotation for others to enjoy by filling out the Submit form on the menu.
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