***Federal - MBTA***

    These birds are one of the last to leave in winter and one of the first to arrive in spring.  Red-winged Blackbirds are well known as a marsh bird; they are common, gregarious, and boldy colored.  Their presence is often noted by their song-- a hoarse "konk-a-REE."  The sexes of this species are colored and behave differently.  Males are the obvious black with red "shoulders," but females are streaked in two shades of brown and while the obnoxious males attract all the attention females skulk quietly in the reeds.  The camoflage serves the purpose of disguising the eggs from predators.  Male Red-winged Blackbirds arrive first from the wintering grounds and stake out territories, females come later and choose males based on the size and quality of his territory.  They raise two or three broods a season, and build a new nest for each clutch.  Juveniles are patterned like the females.