Red-winged Blackbird About To Launch

Red-winged blackbird, a jet black bird with a bright red shoulder-patch lined with a bright yellow edge, on a bare branch looking downward, about to leap off in flight

Jun 6th, 2011, by Alex Zorach

I captured this Red-winged blackbird just before it jumped downward off this branch. I find it interesting how clear and easy it is to interpret the intentions and focus of animals by their body language, once you watch them sufficiently to understand how they use their bodies.

This bird's identification is unmistakeable, but for some tree-identification tips, note the symmetric (opposite) arrangement of branches on the dead branch the bird is perched on. Note the compound leaves, yellowish-green in color, of the foliage. This is a box-elder tree, Acer negundo, a species of maple which has un-maple-like leaves that some inexperienced people confuse for poison ivy. (Poison ivy is easily distinguished as it has opposite leaves and branches).

This photo was taken in the John Heinz National Wildlife Refuge.