Tri-colored blackbirds?

[Jim Anderson]

I am happy to be a new member at this site!

I found you while searching the internet to see if anyone else had reported seeing these blackbirds in Colorado. After looking at all my bird books I am wanting to believe that I saw a flock of Tri-coloreds in a tree on Left Hand Creek in Longmont two days ago, March 5, 2009. My books all say that their range is the California coast, so I offer this sighting with more than mere trepidation. I know a Red Wing Blackbird when I see one, and these were not they. More slender in body, wing marking a muddy red and off-white, speckled back that looked somewhat like a starling's breast, and relatively long, slender tail feathers. Could I possibly have seen what I think I saw? I have read of birds redefining their terrain due to climatic changes.

Speaking of seeing things, last summer near Jamestown, CO, I spotted in the trees what I believed to be a Pileated Woodpecker. The size and sillouette were right. I thought nothing of it as I have seen many of them while living in Minnesota. When I got home that day I looked up the bird's range to discover that they do not live in Colorado.

Cheers

[Gary Lefko]

There have been no reports of Tri-colored Blackbird in Colorado--there's a lot of variation as they mature from immature to adult. As for the Pileated Woodpecker there are no documented records of them in Colorado either BUT there have been a few unconfirmed sightings usually by eastern visitors (for what that's worth). Thanks for joining us! Gary

[Jim Anderson]

Thanks, Gary. I did not expect a reply so soon. Upon further examination of my bird books it looks to me like these may well have been Red wings. I look forward to more correspondences. Jim

[Beverly]

I moved to CO about 30 years ago...from California. I am also quite familiar with Red-winged Blackbirds. I'm also a new birder. Last March, when the blackbirds arrived, I was very sure I had Tri-colored birds in my yard here. It turns out, blackbirds can 'hide' the red when in not trying to be aggressive. I wrote a bit about it on my blog. While I'm no expert, Gary here helped me figure out it was highly unlikely the birds were anything but Red-winged birds. After watching them for quite awhile (they were not yet in breeding mode or I'd have seen more red), I finally saw he was right.

Hope that helps a bit. But having said that...I never say never! LOL

[Jim Anderson]

It was finding your query of last year by doing a google search that led me to Colorado Birder, so I thank you. If those actually were Tri-coloreds that you/I saw so off course from their native habitat, it would be puzzling, if not distressing, to say the least. Jim

[Beverly]

Wow Jim...thanks for that! It's a small world, huh?

Naw, what I saw were clearly Red-winged Blackbirds. I see them again just over the last week or two...and they're doing the same thing; hiding the red. All I see on the birds is a small, pale edge of color against that black. I'm betting that this is a behavior to keep feeding after the great migration as safe and uncomplicated as possible. After they fatten up a bit and begin to have a real interest in breeding...just a couple weeks from now...it seems THEN they are happy to show the red and are more dominant and fiesty toward each other. For now it must be best to just eat in peace, huh?

As far as finding birds where they 'don't belong'...it happens for all birds, from time to time. I imagine some are just the leaders of an expanding territory, others are blown off-track by storms, some become feral colonies of excapped pets. I wonder how successful they are when they arrive; some must do okay, just look at those blasted Eurasian Collared Doves!