Red-winged Blackbird
24 x 30 inches
pen, ink, colored charcoal, pencil
Darryl Wheye
2000
The song
of the redwing (possibly the most abundant native bird) is familiar
to many.
On campus,
the bird is a common breeder in mustard and other herbaceous
vegetation on the Dish hills and near Lagunita. Elsewhere it
is a fairly rare breeder, with a few pairs found in Memorial
Marsh (the wetland area between Lomita Drive and Palm Drive).
During the nonbreeding season, small numbers (and occasionally
larger flocks) may forage throughout campus.
The individual
(left) shown here was staking his claim to a portion of Memorial
Marsh, displaying his red patch, and exposing a fringe of buffy-yellow
usually missed by the casual observer. (Most patches on adult
campus redwings appear completely red.) Redwing males flash
their patches when defending their territories, staving off
intrusions by other males.
