Friends of Urban Nature
Our birds of the month for February and March are Red-winged Blackbirds and Eastern Meadowlarks. They are both “early birds” that return to Wisconsin before the snow melts to try and establish the best food and nesting territories. Sometimes referred to as scouts, they welcome later arrivals with loud melodious songs that attract mates and help deter competition without fighting.
Red-winged Blackbirds are common where they can find wetland marshy areas for nesting like Cherokee Marsh, Warner Park and Hartmeyer-Roth Park on the Northside, and they will use any small marshy natural area available. They have bright red epaulets with yellow borders on their wings that they flash when they do their famous “song spread” routine, spreading their wings like an accordion as they sing their “Conk-La-Reeee” song. Don’t be alarmed if they bravely swoop past your head; they are just letting you know it’s their area…