Common names, as the term implies, are a means used by the general public for identifying any number of tangible items and intangible concepts. This nomenclature usually identifies a distinctive feature obvious to the observer.
In the world of consumer products, this is a critical feature of marketing. It is imperative for the seller to distinguish the product in question from a crowd of similar offerings.
Common names are also used to identify many of the plants and animals, both native and exotic, in panhandle Florida. This informal terminology is much simpler to employ than the rigorous (and often difficult to pronounce) scientific names, but the same common names are sometimes used for multiple species.
One species with the good luck to be distinct and unlikely to be confused with any other bird is the red-winged blackbird. Agelaius phoeniceus, as it is scientifically identified, is a native to much of North and Central America.
Red-winged blackbirds are a common sight around the region’s swamps, ponds and rivers during the summer. They are easily identified by the bright red bar of feathers on the shoulder of these animated fliers.
As its common name implies, the male birds have an easily viewed bright red bar of feathers on each shoulder with a thin yellow stripe running parallel just below the red. Females are a dark brown and without any of the male’s overt and showy traits, but they do have distinguishing marks for those who studiously observe this avian species.
The red feathers are produced from carotenoids in this bird’s diet. When in captivity, with a diet change, the red plumage turns to brown.
Local blackbirds (also known as grackles), while in the same family as red-winged blackbirds, are not in the same genus or closely related. The general appearance of both birds is responsible for the similarity in common names.
Many of the red-winged blackbirds in north Florida are considered full time residents, but there are populations which migrate from colder regions of Canada and the U.S. The migration begins sometime in the late summer to the early autumn, depending on environmental conditions.
This species is considered one of the many songbirds which inhabit the area. They are easily viewed in grassy areas with ponds, rivers, or swamps nearby.
During nesting season there seems to be a preference for swampy areas, but it is not absolute. The site selection may be as simple as safety from predators and a good source of food.
Animals which will raid the nest for eggs and hatchlings include snakes, raccoons and other birds. Red-winged blackbirds usually nest in groups, and the males share sentry duty to warn of potential problems.
The wetlands usually offer a continuous and varied supply of food for the avian species. Insects, spiders, worms, small amphibians, and a variety of seeds are all on the menu.
In general, the wild seed consumption of this bird is of little concern to most people, but cereal crops like corn are a different story. Flocks of the gregarious feathered flier will congregate in fields and consume large volumes of grains.
If they are left unmolested in an area for several days, they become established and difficult to repel. While there is corn and small grain acreage in north Florida’s rural counties, there are only very small plots in urbanized areas.
With plentiful resources, north Florida looks like a good residence for the distinctive songbird. It is usually a win-win for all involved.
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