IDENTIFICATION

The term blackbird refers to 

about 10 species of birds. 

The various species have 

several traits in common. The 

males are black or iridescent in 

color. Not all blackbirds are 

black in color.

All blackbirds are omnivorous. 

They eat grains, weed seeds, 

fruits and insects. Food for 

young birds are worms and 

bugs which are high in protein. 

Adult birds eat mostly seeds.

When it is not nesting season, 

these birds feed in flocks and 

roost at night in groups varying 

from a few birds to over a 

million birds. Sometimes a 

single species will roost 

together but often several species mix together when roosting. Roosting together in winter 

is for warmth and 

protection from enemies.

The average age for a 

blackbird is two years. 

The red-winged blackbird is the most abundant bird in North America.

Common

Name

Scientific 

Name

Identification Range and

Habitat

Habits and

Biology

Type of 

Damage

Red-winged Blackbird Agelaius phoeniceus Male is smaller than robin. It is black with red 

and yellow shoulder patches. Female is 

smaller and brownish.

All of North America 

in hayfields, marshes 

& ditches.

Eats insects and 

seeds. 50% mortality 

rate. 

Damage corn, sunflowers, sorghum, 

oats and rice

Common Grackle Quiscalus 

quiscula

Iridescent blackbird larger than a robin. Has a 

long keel-shaped tail.

Common east of the 

Rockies.

Nest in shelterbelts, 

farmyards & towns.

Same as above plus 

eats fish, mice, 

songbird young & 

eggs.

Same as above but 

will also pull up 

sprouting corn.

Great-tailed Grackle Quiscalus 

mexicanus

Similar to common grackle but with larger tail. Year-round resident 

of Texas. Feed at 

farms & parks.

Eats insects, eggs, 

frutis and grains. 

Damages fruits and 

melons.

Brown-headed CowbirdMolothrus ater Smallest blackbird. Male is black with brown 

head. Sparrow like bills.

Found throughout 

North America 

especially where 

livestock live.

Eats weed seeds and 

grains. Female lays 

eggs in other birds’ 

nest. 

Eats livestock feed 

and contaminates 

livestock feed. 

Yellow-headed BlackbirdXanthocephalus

xanthocephalus

Male is black with yellow head. Female is 

smaller and browner.

Found in Great Plains 

& western North 

America in deepwater marsh areas. 

Diet similar to Redwinged blackbird.Minor damage to 

crops.

Brewers’ Blackbird Euphagus

cyanocephalus

Robin-sized bird. Male is black with whitish 

eyes; female is brownish-gray with dark 

eyes.

Found in northern 

Great Plains and 

western North America. In winter is 

found in Mexico.

Eats grains and weed 

seeds and insects.

Minor damage to 

grains and fruit 

crops. 

European Starling Sturnus

vulgaris

Short-tailed, stocky blackbird with gold and 

white speckled body and yellow bill

Introduced from 

Europe and now 

found nationwide.

Competes with native 

birds for nes ting 

cavities.

Causes urban 

health problems 

from droppings. 

Red-winged blackbird

Agelaius phoeniceus
Living in harmony . . .

Most of the time, blackbirds and humans live 

in harmony.

• blackbirds eat insects and noxious weed seeds

• people enjoy watching blackbirds

• blackbirds are traditional birds of the marsh 

that have moved into other areas

Living in conflict . . .

• blackbirds can do extensive damage to crops 

like sunflowers, corn and rice

• blackbirds roost in large numbers and their 

droppings can produce an unpleasant odor and 

often carry diseases

• blackbirds can be a threat to aircraft

• large numbers of migrating blackbirds will compete with resident species of birds

• cowbirds are parasitic nesters that lay their 

eggs in other species of birds’ nests and 

threaten the survival of the some 

threatened and 

endangered 

species. 

(Kirkland’s 

warbler, vireo and 

Willow flycatcher)

Alarm call means “look around — there may be danger”,

distress call means “I am in pain”.

Most damage done by blackbirds to crops is within 

five miles of where they roost. Farmers can 

lessen damage by planting crops as far away from 

roosting sites as possible. It also works to provide 

alternate feed (lure crops) for the 

blackbirds to lure them away from crops. Varying 

planting and harvest dates also helps.

Removing roosting and nesting habitat near crops 

also lessens damage. For example, 

removing cattails in marshes reduces blackbird 

habitat and increases 

habitat for other waterfowl. 

Frightening devices can 

work well to scare 

blackbirds away from crops. 

Propane exploders make a 

loud bang. These devices 

produce the best results 

when used early in the 

morning and in the evening. 

Other devices include 

helium-filled balloons, radiocontrolled planes, various types of scarecrows, 

pyrotechnics and tape-recorded distress calls for 

birds. 

Aversive agents are something that animals don’t 

like. Thus they stay away from an area that has 

been treated with the aversive agent. Avicide is a 

chemical that results in the death of birds. A 

treated bait that makes some of the birds fly 

erratic then die scares other birds from the area. 

If blackbirds roost on or near 

airport property, they can 

cause a plane to crash. 

For this reason, it is 

advisable to thin or 

remove roosting 

vegetation to prevent a 

wildlife hazard. In the long 

term this may be the most 

economical solution to 

this danger. 
OBSERVING . . .

Bird watching is a favorite pastime for many 

people. Observe the birds around you. You will 

need binoculars and a good bird book. Identify 

the bird, describe when you saw it and describe 

the bird. For example:

Steller’s Jay - observed mid October - early 

morning eating sunflowers at a feeder

The bird has blue body and black head.

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Blackbirds cause damage to fields of corn, sunflowers, sorghum, oats and rice. During the nesting 

season, blackbirds mainly feed on insects. In the 

fall they form large flocks. As they prepare for fall 

migration, they eat many ripening grain crops resulting in millions of dollars of damage each year. It 

is estimated that $30 million in damage is done to 

both sunflower and corn crops. 

Total damage done to 

crops reaches over

$100 million annually. 

ACROSS: 1 – aversive agent, 3 – blackbirds, 7 – omnivorous, 8 – starling 9 – parasitic nester

 DOWN: 2 – avicide, 4 – lure crop, 5 – sunflowers, 6 – roost

Why did cowbirds become parasitic nesters?

Cowbirds followed the great herds of bison feeding on the 

insects that are attracted to the bison. The herds moved almost 

constantly. The birds did not have time to build nests and rear 

their own young and still keep up with the bison. Thus they started 

laying their eggs in the nests of other birds. 

Blackbirds are also remembered because of their use in stories and 

nursery rhymes. Such an example is “Sing a Song of Sixpence.” 

Sing a song of sixpence, The king was in the counting house,

A pocket full of rye; Counting out his money;

Four and twenty blackbirds, The queen was in the parlor,

Baked in a pie. Eating bread and honey.

When the pie was opened, The maid was in the garden,

The birds began to sing; Hanging out the clothes;

Wasn’t that a dainty dish, When along came a blackbird,

To set before the king? And snipped off her nose. 

Write your own rhyme about blackbirds. 
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 3 4 5

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This activity sheet has been developed by USDA Wildlife Services. For more information about blackbirds 

contact your state’s Wildlife Services office or USDA Wildlife Services at 301 734-7921. 

Wildlife Activity Book and

1998 Wildlife Issue of the

Colorado Reader

Colorado Foundation for 

Agriculture 

P.O. Box 10

Livermore, CO 80536

Prevention and Control of 

Wildlife Damage CD ROM

or Handbook

202 Natural Resource Hall

University of Nebraska

P.O. Box 83819

Lincoln, NE 68583

Jack H. Berryman Institute

for Wildlife Damage 

Management

Utah State University

Logan, Utah 83431-5210

ACROSS

1. Something birds do not like so they stay 

away from an area

3. Group of about 10 different birds that are 

mostly black in color and omnivorous

7. Animals that eat both plants and animals 

are . . .

8. A short-tailed, stocky blackbird that is not 

native to the U. S. 

9. Cowbirds are this type of nesting bird and 

it means they lay their eggs in another 

bird’s nest

DOWN

2. Chemical that causes birds to die

4. Planting this helps keep blackbirds away 

from crops

5. Crop often damaged by blackbirds

6. Where birds gather to rest at night