Red-Wing Blackbirds

 When we were  at Lake Erie Metropark with our group on March 7th, there was not a red-wing in sight. A week later all the males were in town. the females red wings have no red wings but are a dull brown color. I saw no females but the male was putting on quite the display. Claiming his territory before the females arrive, he was making noise and displaying his beautiful red wings.
The blackbird is found around soggy ditches and marshes, often perching on cattails. The ones I saw yesterday were way up in the trees...no cattail sitting for them.

 Whenever this bird would call he would spread out this wings so the red and yellow epaulets would show in all their glory. This, I understand is a breeding display.

It seemed to me, as I looked through my photos, that this blackbird would ruffle his feathers when he sang.