User:Natcamore/Brewer's blackbird
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Habitat[edit]
Their breeding habitat is open and semi-open areas, often near water, across central and western North America. They are also very common in parking lots, and easily acclimate to the presence of people.
These birds are often permanent residents in the west. In large flocks, other birds migrate to the Southeastern United States and Mexico in Spring.[1] The range of this bird has been expanding east in the Great Lakes region
Feeding[edit]
They forage in shallow water or in fields, mainly eating seeds and insects, some berries. They sometimes catch insects in flight. They feed in flocks outside of the breeding season, sometimes with other blackbirds. They are known to stand on aquatic plants and wade in shallow water to catch insects. Some have even been known to eat smaller mammals, amphibians, and the nestlings of other birds.[1][2]
Reproduction[edit]
Nests[edit]
Nests are not built in isolation, but in colonies of up to 30 pairs.[1] Pairs prefer to nest in areas that are around 20-40' in treetops. However, colonies that live near water may also nest in reeds, tall grasses, and other freshwater plants.[2] Nests are made from nearby material such as reeds, sticks and hair. They are built by the female in a cup-like shape and are bonded with mud or other securing substances.[2] The color of the nest usually matches the coloration of the eggs and the surrounding environment as it is crucial to survival.[3]
Eggs[edit]
Their clutch size can vary, usually between 3-7.[1] They are usually a tan color with darker speckles throughout to allow for camouflage.[4] The female bird primarily incubates for 12-14 days.[1]
References[edit]
- Kaufman, Ken. 2019. A Season on the Wind: Inside the World of Spring Migration.
- Kiltie, Richard A & David Westmoreland. 2007. "Egg Coloration and Selection for Crypsis in Open-nesting Blackbirds". Journal of Avian Biology.
- ^ a b c d e "Brewer's Blackbird". Audubon. 2014-11-13. Retrieved 2022-10-22.
- ^ a b c "Brewer's Blackbird Life History, All About Birds, Cornell Lab of Ornithology". www.allaboutbirds.org. Retrieved 2022-10-23.
- ^ Westmoreland, David; A. Kiltie, Richard (2007-11). "Egg coloration and selection for crypsis in open-nesting blackbirds". Journal of Avian Biology. 38 (6): 682–689. doi:10.1111/j.2007.0908-8857.04066.x.
{{cite journal}}: Check date values in:|date=(help) - ^ Balph, Martha Hatch (1975). "Development of Young Brewer's Blackbirds". The Wilson Bulletin. 87 (2): 207–230. ISSN 0043-5643.