Are You a Red-winged Blackbird? | Episode 2

Added: 2026-06-02

[00:00:00]Are you a redwing blackbird? Do you maintain a loud and boisterous social circle filled with friends that are as energetic and passionate as you? Do you find it hard to hide what you're feeling at any given time? Are you afraid of commitment? Then you might actually be a redwing blackbird. And in today's video, we're going to find out.

[00:00:20]So you want to know if you're a redwing blackbird? Well, I've got 10 yes or no questions to help you figure it out. So, let's get started. Question number one, do you thrive in the spotlight? Whether they've got something important or not so important to say, redwing blackbirds love to be seen and heard. They absolutely love an audience. These birds usually choose easy to see perches where they can look out over their admirers.

[00:00:42]And from this eye-catching spot, they'll put on quite the display by singing while simultaneously fanning their tail and opening up their wings to reveal their bright red wing patches or epaulets. So, it's pretty easy to spot a redwing blackbird in public. They're the one telling the story at the dinner party, the one singing the song around the campfire, or the one reading poetry at the open mic. Question number two, are you super extroverted? Do people often tell you you have like a billion friends? Because you don't often find redwing blackbirds on their own. In fact, they seem to have a hard time being alone. Breeding birds nest around each other, non-breeding birds forage together, and no matter the season, they always roost together. And you might be wondering, well, what kind of a group are we talking about here? I mean, even introverts have some friends. Well, these roosting flocks are smaller during the breeding season, but non-breeding redwing blackbirds gather by the millions. These birds just love to flock. And this doesn't just have to be other redwing blackbirds. Other species of blackbirds, cowbirds, grackles, and starlings are welcome. They form loud and boisterous groups that would make any introvert cry. Question number three, are you easy to read? Can people always tell when you're upset? Redwing blackbirds are famous for their red epaulets or shoulder patches, and these can actually be used to determine what mood a particular bird is in. Often these are covered up to the yellow line, but when they're feeling strong emotions, they'll reveal the red, making it clear to everyone that they're feeling big feelings. So, I guess the question is, do you also wear your heart on your sleeve? Or should I say shoulder?

[00:02:16]Question number four, are you easy to locate? Red-winged blackbirds love marshy areas. So, where there's a marsh, there's probably a red-winged blackbird.

[00:02:24]Are you also easy to find? Do people always know where to look for you? Are you always at the gym or maybe the park?

[00:02:30]Maybe people know to look for you at the library, or maybe there's like a 99% chance that you're in your house.

[00:02:36]Wherever it is, do people always know where to go when they need to find you?

[00:02:40]Speaking of marshes, question number five, do you love a good marsh? Is there just something about one of those dank brushy wetlands that makes you want to go absolutely feral and slink around through the cattails like a little marsh creature?

[00:02:54]While red-winged blackbirds do love a good field or meadow, it's marshes that really capture their hearts. What does heaven look like? Well, for a red-winged blackbird, it's some nasty standing water and a whole bunch of reeds. Are you pretty even-tempered? Do you love lending your things out to friends? Do you avoid confrontation at all costs?

[00:03:12]You are probably not a red-winged blackbird. Question number six, are you extremely skilled at something? Maybe it's your job, a hobby, or just some random thing you're really good at.

[00:03:22]Whittling, jewelry making, sewing, welding, painting, origami? This might not be the first thing that comes to mind when people think of you. It might be a hidden talent, just like for the red-winged blackbird. Female red-winged blackbirds create elaborately woven cup nests that are actually intertwined with and supported by around it so that it can sit suspended over water even when filled to the brim with chicks. That's some serious skill. Question number seven, does monogamy scare you? Does the The of tying yourself to one single partner for the rest of your life send chills down your spine? Red-winged blackbirds are polygynous, which means that males have multiple mates.

[00:03:59]Occasionally, a male will have up to 15 female mates. But, these females are not exactly keen on commitment either, and it's not uncommon for them to mate with other males. In fact, a male red-winged blackbird is often the biological father of only about 50 to 75% of the babies born on his territory. So, maybe you're polyamorous. Maybe you're promiscuous.

[00:04:21]In an effort to keep this channel PG-13, I won't be elaborating on this anymore.

[00:04:26]I'll let you decide. Question number eight, are you really protective over your stuff? Some people love to share.

[00:04:32]What's mine is yours. They'll let you borrow their books. They'll let you borrow their clothes. They'll let you borrow their car. Red-winged blackbirds don't do that. They're really protective over their stuff. I mean, why do you have to share your stuff? Your stuff is your stuff. That's why male red-winged blackbirds invest over 25% of their day in defending their territory, because your stuff is your stuff. Question number nine, are you kind of irritable?

[00:04:57]Maybe people have told you that you overreact to mild inconveniences, or that it wasn't that big of a deal. They weren't breathing that loud. They weren't tailgating you in the cereal aisle. But, you know, do you just feel like life could be better if the weather didn't mess with your plans all the time? And maybe the world would be a bit brighter if everyone tried to be a little less bother some. Question number 10, does confrontation give you a bit of a buzz? Like, it's just invigorating, you know? Makes you feel alive.

[00:05:28]Red-winged blackbirds do not shy away from confrontation. They'll scold and chase rival males, other birds, predators, and basically anything that crosses their territory. And they're also not afraid to confront much larger and more dangerous creatures. They've been known to attack crows, hawks, herons, eagles, and even horses and humans. For red-winged blackbirds, avoiding confrontation is simply not an option. So, if you answered yes to eight or more of these questions, then you, my friend, are a red-winged blackbird.

[00:05:58]Thanks for tuning in to Are You a Red-winged Blackbird?