Bird of the week: red-winged blackbird
About: Males are all black with a red-and-yellow wing patch. Females are mottled brown above and heavily streaked below with a yellowish-tan line above the eye.
Where to find this bird: Red-winged blackbirds start showing up along the river in late February, but can be found virtually anywhere on campus later in spring and become almost a nuisance.
When to find this bird: Late February–early November
Fun fact: In the breeding season, male red-winged blackbirds spend more than a quarter of their daylight hours defending their territories. They will not only chase off other male red-winged blackbirds but also try to ward off larger animals like raptors, herons and people — in spring, they will frequently swoop people around campus.