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Red Wing Black Bird attacks Geese

12 years ago

Before the reeds grow out, Canadian geese often drop by and raid the ground feeder. I notice this morning that a single red wing black birds has been attacking the geese whenever they comes by, which is a surprise since he doesn't attack the ducks or other birds. May be he thinks it's a heron or something. I don't recall geese being interested in eggs.

Paul

Comments (2)

tom8olvr
12 years ago
I would like to borrow that RW blackbird. I can't even get my yellow lab to chase off geese.
paulsiu
Original Author
12 years ago
The bird isn't too successful. It just make the geese really angry. The geese in my area aren't as aggressive. They don't seemed to register me as a threat, but they take off when my neighbor's yellow lab (we don't have a fence and he's welcome to run in my yard!) comes by. When the coyote comes by, they run to.

The situation is temporary, once the reeds grow up, they stop coming because it becomes difficult to take off.
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Red Wing BlackBirds
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John Bull in his "Birds of New York State" has a section on migration of Redwing Blackbirds. I used this as a reference in a biology course I audited after retirement. Here is an excerpt from what I wrote: During the spring migration, 100,000 were recorded at Montezuma on March 22, 1958. In the early 1900's Arthur Allen kept a three year record of Red-wings migrating through Ithaca. From their plumage he was able to distinguish males from females and adult birds from those hatched the previous year. The record he reports is for 1911 and as he remarks the actual dates will vary from year to year, but the order in which the males and females, migrants and residents will remain. (I wonder if there has been any significant shift in the 80 years since Dr. Allen made his study.) Here is what he found: males arrive on the scene, followed two weeks later by the resident females. The migrants that appear are presumably on their way to Canada while the immature birds that will take up residence may have been searching for green pastures.
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Red Wing birds
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For three days last week a large flock of Red Wings turned over the leaves in my back yard. There were so many of them that it looked as if the ground were moving with all the leaves being tossed. They never touched my feeders or the suet. This was the first time I've ever noticed them up here on the ridge. Normally they are down by the creek about a half mile away. Two more firsts this winter. In late January there was a Towhee on my BOSS feeder. Saw it only once. If it came back I missed it. Last year I saw one under the Suet feeder picking up pieces but this is the first I've ever seen on the feeder. 20 years ago they were all over the place but now that there are no empty lots left I very seldom see any. There just aren't enough woods left for them. Another first I could do without, Grackles. Never had them before and they will empty out a feeder amazingly fast. Wish they would move on.
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A mark increase of Red Wing Blackbirds
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It sounds like a you have some common Redpolls passing through. Alot of the birds are starting to think about spring and changing their behavoir now. You'll see new birds migrating through. I've noticed the birds got alot more vocal in the last week or so. The male Cardinals and Blue Jays are singing. Yesterday I saw and heard male Horned Larks singing. Spring is on its way, its hard to believe when the forecast calls for 6-8" of snow tonight.
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Comments (2)
I don't want to put the picture here because it is not my photo, but here is a gorgeous shot of a male RWBB in full display and a very nice description of its significance. http://www.flickr.com/photos/61514382@N00/3552440101/
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