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[Phyl]

Red-winged Blackbird continued

Status in Tennessee: The Red-winged Blackbird is a common to abundant permanent resident at all but the highest elevations across the state. In winter, birds nesting to the north of Tennessee join the local population and form large roosts numbering in the thousands, especially in West and Middle Tennessee. Red-winged Blackbirds are declining rangewide and in Tennessee as well.
Fun Facts:

In the wild, Red-winged Blackbirds live 2 years, on average.
In some populations, 90% of territorial males have more than one female mate; the record is 15 females nesting in the territory of one male. However, studies have found that a quarter to a half of the nestlings will be fathered by other than the territorial male.
In winter, Red-winged Blackbirds can form huge roosts of several million birds, which congregate in the evening and spread out each morning. Some may travel as far as 50 miles between the roosting and feeding sites. They commonly share their winter roosts with other blackbird species and European Starlings.
Across the broad breeding range, Red-winged Blackbirds vary substantially in size. In an experiment where young were switched from different-sized populations, the young grew up to resemble their foster parents, not their natural parents. This indicates that environmental factors, not genetics, are responsible for much of the variation in size between populations.
Obsolete English Names: bicolored, red and buff shouldered, red-shouldered, blackbird, redwing, crimson-winged troopial, red-and-black-shouldered marsh blackbird, red-winged starling, red-shouldered marsh blackbird

[Phyl]

Red-winged Blackbird continued


Best places to see in Tennessee: Red-winged Blackbirds are common to abundant statewide. They are the most abundant species nesting at Reelfoot Lake, and are one of the most common birds in agricultural landscapes.





[/img]https://www.tn.gov/content/dam/tn/twra/images/birds/red-winged-blackbird-007.jpg

Sources:

Nicholson, C. P. 1997. Atlas of Breeding Birds of Tennessee. Univ. of TN Press, Knoxville.

Sibley, D. A. 2000. The Sibley Guide to Birds. A. A. Knopf, New York, NY.

Yasukawa, K. and W. A. Searcy. 1995. Red-winged Blackbird (Agelaius phoeniceus), The Birds of North America, No.184 (A. Poole and F. Gill, eds.). The Academy of Natural Sciences, Philadelphia, PA, and The American Ornithologists' Union, Washington, D.C

[Phyl]

Eastern Meadowlark,
Sturnella magna



The clear, plaintive, sliding song of the Eastern Meadowlark is a welcomed sign of spring.  With a bold black "V" in the middle of its bright yellow breast, and habit of singing from fence posts and powerlines, this is a familiar year-round resident of the farmlands and open country of Tennessee.

The breeding range includes Eastern and Central North America, parts of the southwestern states and parts of Mexico, to northern South America, and the Caribbean. Eastern Meadowlarks are mostly non-migratory, with only the northernmost individuals migrating south in the non-breeding season.

Description: The Eastern Meadowlark is a stocky, robin-sized songbird with a brown streaked back, and a brilliant yellow breast with a prominent black "V." The tail is brown with white outer tail feathers, and the bill is long and pointed. The male and female look alike. During the non-breeding season (September-January) the plumage is overall duller, with buffy flanks.

Length: 9.5"
Wingspan: 14"
Weight: 3.2 oz

Voice: The song is a slurred musical phrase, described as sounding like spring of the year or see-you-see-yeeer. Call notes are often given in a series, especially in flight, and are loud raspy chatters.

Similar Species:

Western Meadowlarks winter in small numbers in far western Tennessee and are very similar in appearance. However, Western Meadowlarks are paler, with thinner black barring on the wings and tail feathers, and in breeding plumage, have a mostly yellow, not white, mustache stripe beside the yellow throat. The song and calls are different, with the song of the Western Meadowlark being more complex and musical.
Habitat: Eastern Meadowlarks prefer native grasslands and open savannas, but are also found in many human-altered grassy habitats.

Diet: Insects, especially grasshoppers and crickets, as well as insect larvae and grubs.

Nesting and reproduction: Male Eastern Meadowlarks are usually polygynous, with two or rarely three females nesting within the male's territory. A female will often raise two broods in a season.

Clutch Size: Ranges from 3 to 6 eggs, with 5 egg clutches most common.

Incubation: The female incubates the eggs for about 14 days.

Fledging: Both adults feed the nestlings, which fledge in 11 to 12 days.

Nest: The female alone builds the nest on the ground in a shallow depression of a pasture, meadow, or hayfield. It is well hidden in thick vegetation and constructed of grasses, and often has an arch or a roof, and a runway leading to the opening.

[Phyl]

Eastern Meadowlark, continued

Status in Tennessee: The Eastern Meadowlark is a common year round resident statewide. In winter it often gathers in loose flocks of 25 to 50 individuals in prime feeding areas. The species is declining in Tennessee, as well as rangewide, because of changes in land use and human encroachment.



Fun Facts:

The Eastern Meadowlark is related to blackbirds and orioles, not larks.
Eastern Meadowlark will occasionally sing at night, especially when the moon is bright.
The Eastern Meadowlark was first described by Carolus Linnaeus in 1758, but was mistakenly labeled as being found in "America, Africa." He likely made this mistake because of the remarkable resemblance with the Cape and Yellow-throated Longclaws found in Africa. These birds share similar habitat types, but are totally unrelated. The adaptive significance of this yellow breast pattern is unknown, and may simply be a striking example of convergent evolution. Linnaeus later corrected his mistake.
Obsolete English Names: eastern lark, meadow starling

Best places to see in Tennessee: Eastern Meadowlarks should be easy to find in farmland across the state, especially in spring and summer when they sing from fence posts and powerlines.

[Phyl]

Eastern Meadowlark, continued

[Phyl]

Common Grackle
Quiscalus quiscula



The glossy-iridescent Common Grackle is one of the more common and widespread birds nesting in Tennessee, and in winter it forms enormous flocks containing hundreds of thousands of individuals.

It can be found in a variety of habitats from farmland and suburban areas to wetlands and forest edge. Common Grackles range over most of North America east of the Rockies, breeding into central Canada and wintering in the southeastern portion of the range.

Description: The male Common Grackle is an elegant, glossy, iridescent purple-black bird with a long, keel-shaped tail; the female is slightly smaller and duller. Both sexes look black at a distance and have pale eyes. The juvenile (June-September) is dull brown with dark brown eyes.

Length: 12.5"
Wingspan: 17"
Weight: 4 oz

Voice: The song is a series of harsh, metallic notes resembling the squeak of a rusty hinge.

Similar Species:

All other blackbirds found in Tennessee are smaller with shorter tails and bills.
Habitat: Common Grackles are found in a variety of open areas with scattered trees, including open woodland, swamps, marshes, agricultural areas, urban residential areas, and parks.

Diet: Common Grackles are omnivorous, eating insects, minnows, frogs, eggs, berries, seeds, grain, acorns, and even small birds.
Nesting and reproduction: Males begin courtship activities in mid-March, but there is little territorial defense and birds nest as isolated pairs or in small loose colonies. Peak egg laying is in late April, and females raise one brood per season.

Clutch Size: Range from 3 to 7 eggs, with 4 to 5 eggs most common.

Incubation: The female incubates the eggs for about 13 days.

Fledging: Both adults feed the nestlings, which leave the nest in 12 to 14 days. Large flocks of adults and juveniles form by late June.

Nest: The female builds the large, bulky cup-nest from grasses and weed stems, and lines it with mud and fine grasses or hair. The nest is well concealed in dense deciduous or coniferous trees and shrubs, occasionally in tree cavities and nest boxes, and usually near water. Most Tennessee nests are high in red cedars or pines. The average height is 26 feet with a range of from 2 feet to 100 feet.

[Phyl]

Common Grackle
Continued

Status in Tennessee: The Common Grackle is one of the most numerous and widespread birds nesting in Tennessee, and is a locally common winter resident. Wintering flocks, sometimes with hundreds of thousands of birds, are most common in the western two-thirds of the state. Common Grackles in the state, as well as rangewide, are declining.


Conservation: Common Grackles are one of the most significant agricultural pests today, causing millions of dollars in damage to sprouting corn. Lethal control measures are used in some areas to control numbers. Regardless, Common Grackles are still one of the most successful and widespread species in North America, with an estimated total population of 73,000,000 individuals. Because of a long-term declining population, they are a National Audubon Society Watch List Species

[Phyl]

Common Grackle
Continued

Fun Facts:

Male Common Grackles may abandon their mate before the young have fledged to pair and re-nest with another female.
The oldest recorded Common Grackle was 23 years, one month old, although most don't live nearly that long. Only about half of all Common Grackles reach adulthood.
Common Grackles eat other birds' eggs and nestlings, and occasionally kill and eat other adult birds, particularly adult House Sparrows.
Common Grackles are very gregarious, even during the breeding season. Grackles that are not incubating often congregate at night in roosts that may contain thousands of individuals. Other species, including Red-winged Blackbirds, European Starlings, and Brown-headed Cowbirds can be found in these roosts.
The Common Grackle commonly engages in anting, allowing ants to crawl on its body and secrete formic acid, possibly to rid the body of parasites. In addition to ants, it has been seen using walnut juice, lemons and limes, marigold blossoms, choke cherries, and mothballs in a similar fashion.
Obsolete English Names: blackbird, bronzed blackbird, purple crow blackbird, crow blackbird, bronzed grackle, purple grackle

Best places to see in Tennessee: Common Grackles are found nesting in every county in Tennessee. Winter populations are largest in the western two-thirds of the state.










Sources:

Nicholson, C. P. 1997. Atlas of Breeding Birds of Tennessee. Univ. of TN Press, Knoxville.

Peer, B. D. and E. K. Bollinger. 1997. Common Grackle (Quiscalus quiscula), The Birds of North America, No. 271 (A. Poole and F. Gill, eds.). The Academy of Natural Sciences, Philadelphia, PA, and The American Ornithologists' Union, Washington, D.C.

Sibley, D. A. 2000. The Sibley Guide to Birds. A. A. Knopf, New York, NY.

[Phyl]

Brown-headed Cowbird
Molothrus ater



The Brown-headed Cowbird is a brood parasite, meaning it lays its eggs in the nests of other species and builds no nest of its own.  This strategy was very effective when this bird was limited to the short-grass plains and followed herds of buffalo eating the insects they would stir up by their movements. A cowbird couldn't afford to stay in one location long enough to nest and raise its own young.

Now, however, the Brown-headed Cowbird range has expanded across most of North America as European settlement opened forests for agriculture and pastures.  It now parasitizes the nests of many new species that had no previous exposure to nest parasitism.  Most native birds cannot distinguish their own eggs and nestlings from that of a cowbird and will raise the cowbird nestling at the expense of their own young.

Outside of breeding season, the Brown-headed Cowbird forages in large flocks with other blackbirds primarily in agricultural areas in the southern portion of the breeding range. This species was not found in Tennessee until the late 1800s and is now a year round resident.

Description: The Brown-headed Cowbird is a medium-sized songbird with a stout pointed bill. The male is shiny black with a brown head and neck; the female is a dull gray-brown all over. The juvenile (June-September) is similar to the female, but has brown streaking on the breast.

Length: 7.5"
Wingspan: 12"
Weight: 1.5 oz

Voice: The song is a variety of chatters, high pitched liquid notes, and a frequent two-note tee deewhistle given in flight.

Similar Species:

Female and juvenile Brown-headed Cowbirds resemble sparrows, but are larger, completely dull gray-brown, and have unstreaked backs.
Female Red-winged Blackbirds are more heavily streaked.
Habitat: Breeds in areas with grassland and low or scattered trees, such as woodland edges, brushy thickets, fields, prairies, pastures, orchards, and residential areas. Fragmentation of forests has greatly increased potential breeding habitat.

Diet: Brown-headed Cowbirds forage on the ground on insects and seeds, often in association with cows or horses. They will frequently feed on the ground below backyard feeders.

[Phyl]

Brown-headed Cowbird
continued

Nesting and reproduction: Brown-headed Cowbirds do not defend a territory and males and females will mate with several individuals within a season. Females lay eggs in Tennessee from mid-April through mid-June.

Clutch Size: A female can lay as many as 40 eggs in the nests of different species within one breeding season, usually one egg per nest. Many of these eggs are not successful.

Incubation: The host incubates the eggs, which hatch in 10 to 12 days (shorter than most songbirds)

Fledging: Cowbird young fledge in 10 to 11 days.

Nest: None.

Status in Tennessee: The Brown-headed Cowbird is a common permanent resident in the state. The first reports of nesting of the species in Tennessee were from Roane County in 1886, Reelfoot Lake in 1895, Nashville in 1918, Shelby County in 1921, and East Tennessee in 1932. The population is declining in the state for unknown reasons.

[Phyl]

Brown-headed Cowbird
continued

Fun Facts:

Brown-headed Cowbirds are known to have parasitized 44 different species in Tennessee (as of 1991), and 220 species rangewide.
Female cowbirds have no territories and wander widely. They may lay as many as 40 eggs per season!
While some female cowbirds will lay their eggs in the nests of a number of different species, most females specialize on one particular host species.
Recent research has found that female cowbirds will monitor nests where they have laid eggs. If their egg(s) is removed, they may destroy the host's eggs! Scientists originally thought that there was no parental investment after laying the eggs. Watch NOVA video about this study.
Obsolete English Names: cowbird, cow-pen-bird, buffalo-bird

Best places to see in Tennessee: Brown-headed cowbirds are common in open country and agricultural lands and rare in heavily forested areas. In winter, they are found in flocks with other blackbirds primarily in agricultural areas.







Sources:

Lowther, P. E. 1993. Brown-headed Cowbird (Molothrus ater), The Birds of North America, No. 47 (A. Poole and F. Gill, eds.). The Academy of Natural Sciences, Philadelphia, PA, and The American Ornithologists' Union, Washington, D.C.

Nicholson, C. P. 1997. Atlas of Breeding Birds of Tennessee. Univ. of TN Press, Knoxville.

Sibley, D. A. 2000. The Sibley Guide to Birds. A. A. Knopf, New York, NY.

[Phyl]

Orchard Oriole,
Icterus spurius




The Orchard Oriole is the smallest North American oriole and might even be mistaken for a warbler at first glance.  The male is a rich chestnut-brown and black, but in poor light can appear almost all black.

This bird breeds in open country with scattered trees such as orchards, parks, residential areas, and has a preference for areas along lakes and streams. The Orchard Oriole arrives in Tennessee in mid-April and is among the first migrants to depart at the end of the breeding season in July.

The breeding range extends across most of the eastern United States east of the Rocky Mountains, and the winter range reaches from southern Mexico to northwestern South America.

Description: The male and female look very different. The adult male is a rich chestnut-brown with a black hood, back and tail, and black wings with one thin white wingbar. The female is olive-yellow above, and brighter below with duller wings that have two white wingbars.

First-year males (February-August) are yellow like the female, but have a black throat patch and occasionally some chestnut feathers on the body. Males do not reach adult plumage until their second fall.

Length: 7.25"
Wingspan: 9.5"
Weight: 0.67 oz

Voice: The song is a lively series of sliding warbled notes, often ending with slurred zheer or whee. Call note is a soft chuck or a dry chatter.

Similar Species:

The Baltimore Oriole male is similarly patterned, but is bright orange and has an orange tail. The female and immature male are light orange, not olive-yellow.
Habitat: The Orchard Oriole nests in gardens, orchards, scattered trees in pastures, and residential areas, often near streams and lakes.

Diet: Insects, spiders, nectar, and fruit.
Nesting and reproduction: Egg laying peaks in late May in Tennessee and only one brood is raised per season. Adults and young begin to migrate south in early July.

Clutch Size: The range is from 3 to 7 eggs, with 4 to 5 eggs most common.

Incubation: The female alone incubates the eggs for 12 to 15 days.

Fledging: Both adults feed the young, which leave the nest in 11 to14 days.

Nest: The female weaves the open cup-nest from grasses, and lines it with fine grass, plant down, and feathers. It is usually suspended in the fork of a tree branch far out from the trunk. Tennessee nests range in height from 6 to 49 feet above the ground. The average nest height is 19 feet.

[Phyl]

Orchard Oriole,
continued

Status in Tennessee: The Orchard Oriole is a fairly common summer resident across Tennessee. It is present in the state from mid-April and departs from early July to late August. The population in Tennessee, as well as rangewide, is declining.



Fun Facts:

Orchard Orioles are known to nest in the same tree with Eastern Kingbirds. This pattern has frequently been observed in Tennessee. They may do this to benefit from the Eastern Kingbird's legendary aggressiveness toward potential predators.
Young male Orchard Orioles do not achieve adult plumage until the fall of their second year. However, some first-year males with female-like plumage succeed in attracting a mate and nesting successfully.
Only loosely territorial, the Orchard Oriole is often described as "semicolonial" in areas of prime habitat, but it is generally solitary in most habitats. More than one nest may be found in the same tree in areas of dense numbers of nesting Orchard Orioles.
Southeastern Louisiana seems to be the heart of this oriole's nesting range since the highest densities have been recorded there. At one locality there were nearly 20 nests in a single live oak, and at another locality 114 nests were found on a seven-acre tract with 80 in oaks.
The Orchard Oriole regularly eats nectar and pollen from flowers, and is an important pollinator for some tropical tree species. It transfers the pollen from flower to flower on its head.
Obsolete English Names: ochre oriole

Best places to see in Tennessee: Orchard Orioles nest in every county in the state in open areas with large shade trees. The best time to find one is when the males are singing from mid-April until early June.

[Phyl]

Orchard Oriole,
continued

For more information:
https://animaldiversity.org/site/accounts/information/Icterus_spurius.html











Sources:

Nicholson, C. P. 1997. Atlas of Breeding Birds of Tennessee. Univ. of TN Press, Knoxville.

Scharf, W. C. and J. Kren. 1996. Orchard Oriole (Icterus spurius), The Birds of North America, No. 255 (A. Poole and F. Gill, eds.). The Academy of Natural Sciences, Philadelphia, PA, and The American Ornithologists' Union, Washington, D.C.

Sibley, D. A. 2000. The Sibley Guide to Birds. A. A. Knopf, New York, NY.

[Phyl]

Baltimore Oriole
Icterus galbula



The male Baltimore Oriole is a brilliant orange-and-black bird. Mark Catesby first described it in 1731, naming it for Lord Baltimore, the colonial proprietor of the Maryland colony, whose family coat-of-arms was orange and black.

It is no surprise that this oriole is the state bird of Maryland today.  This species can be found in Tennessee from late April through early September. It is fairly common during migration, but only breeds in scattered locations across the state.

Its breeding range extends from central Canada eastward across the United States, and in winter it migrates in flocks to southern Mexico, Central America, and northern South America, with some birds wintering in Florida and the Caribbean.

Description: Adult males have a black head and back, and a bright orange breast and underparts. The wings are black with orange and white wingbars, and the tail is black with orange corners.

The female is variable but similar to the male; she is often brownish where the male is black, a duller orange below, and has dark wings with two white wingbars. First-year males and females (August-March) resemble the adult female but are paler. Males do not reach adult plumage until their second fall.

Length: 8.75"
Wingspan: 11.5"
Weight: 1.2 oz

Voice: The song is a variable series of rich, clear, whistled notes. The call is a dry, harsh chatter.

Similar Species:

The Orchard Oriole male also has a black head but is smaller and a deep chestnut color, not bright orange. The female is greenish-yellow, not orange-yellow.
Habitat: Baltimore Orioles breed in woodland edges and open areas with scattered deciduous trees, also parks and suburban areas. They winter in humid forests and second growth.

Diet: Caterpillars, fruits, insects, spiders, and nectar.

Nesting and reproduction: Egg laying peaks in mid-May in Tennessee, and only one brood is raised per season. Baltimore Orioles only rarely nest at the same site in consecutive years.

Clutch Size: 3 to 5 eggs, with 4 eggs most common.

Incubation: The female incubates the eggs for 12 to 14 days.

Fledging: Both adults feed the young, which fledge in 12 to 14 days.

Nest: The female weaves the distinctive deep pouch nest from long strips of milkweed and other plant fibers, occasionally using string, hair, bits of rags, or fishing line. The nest is attached by its rim to the fork of a tree branch near the outer edge of the canopy. Sycamore trees are the trees most frequently used in Tennessee. Nest height averages 28 feet above the ground, with a range of 12 to 75 feet.