Red-winged blackbird truer harbinger of spring than robin

It was one of those sluggish, early days of spring that makes me doubt winter will ever let go. The snow, dirty and rotten, stubbornly smothered the ground; the sky was a dull shade of white. A raw wind gusted against the reeds and through the pines, mimicking the roar of the ocean.

I reached the edge of the forest and looked out at the stream in the center of the marsh. The water was open in the middle, forming a channel of about 30 feet across in some places. It flowed over the remnants of a beaver dam. I stood and watched quietly for a while, then reluctantly turned back.

As I retraced my steps, I’d stop every now and then to listen hopefully. Toward the end of the trail, the liquid notes of a red-winged blackbird finally rewarded me. I heard it only once, but it was enough to make me smile. The brief song was sung as if in defiance to the atmosphere of the day, and I cheered silently.

The arrival of red-winged blackbirds is a truer harbinger of spring than that of robins, since the latter may winter in northern climes. Common grackles also arrive at this time, and in fact will flock with red-wings. That, and the ubiquitous presence of starlings, may make distinguishing between all these LBBs (little black birds) confusing for a beginning birder. But a few telling details will help with identification.

Four aids in bird identification are: voice, size, location, and time of year. For instance, starlings, unlike redwings and grackles, don’t migrate, so it’s a safe bet that any LBBs you see gathered together during the winter in Maine are starlings.

The location of the sighting helps in identification, also. In early spring, newly arrived redwings and grackles may be seen and heard perched in trees throughout your neighborhood. Once ice breakup and snowmelt occur in earnest, however, redwings will move into marshy areas or wet meadows. Grackles are more apt to hang around residential areas, showing a preference for lawns, parks and open woodlands.

Starlings are very well adapted to living in close proximity to humans. They often nest under the eaves and vents of houses. I don’t think I’ve ever seen them outside of any residential area. I’ve also noticed that the more crowded and citylike the area is, the more starlings there are.

Starlings are the smallest of the three species, with the shortest tails. They have long, straight, yellowish bills, out of which the strangest mixture of sounds issues. Their repertoire includes snaps, crackles, pops, squeaks and wolf whistles. They can also do a fair imitation of other birds’ songs and calls. They are glossy black with tan and white speckles throughout their plumage.

Red-winged blackbirds are about the size of robins. The males are all black, except for the signature bright-red shoulder patches. Females are a heavily streaked, dusky brown. Their three-noted song is musical and bubbly. Their tail length is comparable to that of a robin’s.

Grackles are noticeably larger than starlings or redwings. Their tails are a dead giveaway – almost equal in length to the rest of the bird. In flight, it seems as if the tips of their tails are turned vertical to their bodies, and look for all the world like the rudders of boats.

Their beaks are long and slightly down-curved, and their plumage a glossy black, showing a purplish iridescence. In voice, they sound like rusty hinges, with a couple of clucks thrown in for good measure.

One more detail will clinch identification. Even from a distance, the yellow eyes of grackles are noticeable. Starlings and redwings have black eyes.

Chris Corio is a volunteer at Fields Pond Nature Center.

She can be reached at fieldspondl@juno.com.