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red-winged blackbird

noun
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\ ˈred-ˌwiŋd- How to pronounce red-winged blackbird (audio) \

Definition of red-winged blackbird

: a North American blackbird (Agelaius phoeniceus) of which the adult male is black with a patch of bright scarlet at the bend of the wings bordered behind with yellow or buff

— called also redwing blackbird

Examples of red-winged blackbird in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web And what a photo: A solitary red-winged blackbird perches atop a leafless shrub. — John Kelly, Washington Post, "An award-winning nature photo was snapped in the wilds of Fairfax County," 24 July 2019 The results are almost too cute to be real: A red-winged blackbird small enough to serve as a larger predator's breakfast hitches a ride on the back of a bald eagle. — Scottie Andrew And Saeed Ahmed, CNN, "A blackbird hopped on the back of a bald eagle, but it turns out that it wasn't a joyride," 9 July 2019 Walrath is not alone: Park spokeswoman Kelly Barkley says that during mating season, male red-winged blackbirds are fiercely territorial of their nests. — USA TODAY, "Painting over history, saving cats’ claws, angry birds: News from around our 50 states," 5 June 2019 The spokeswoman for the park, Kelly Barkley, said that during the mating season male red-winged blackbirds are fiercely territorial of their nests. — Amber Jayanth, Cincinnati.com, "It's not just the geese: Woman attacked by blackbirds at West Chester park," 4 June 2019 Ohio Cincinnati: Just like in the 1963 Alfred Hitchcock film, an Ohio woman reports that she was attacked twice in two nights by red-winged blackbirds at Voice of America Park in West Chester. — USA TODAY, "Painting over history, saving cats’ claws, angry birds: News from around our 50 states," 5 June 2019 Come spring, the apple trees burst into bloom in their orchard and flocks of red-winged blackbirds return from travels south. — Ingrid Abramovitch, ELLE Decor, "The Root of the Matter," 8 May 2012 Last week, a runner at Atwater Beach in Shorewood reported that a red-winged blackbird had swooped at him and made contact with his head. — Anna Groves, Milwaukee Journal Sentinel, "Angry birds: Watch out for red-winged blackbird attacks this time of year," 29 June 2018 The red-winged blackbird is one of the most abundant birds across North America. — Anna Groves, Milwaukee Journal Sentinel, "Angry birds: Watch out for red-winged blackbird attacks this time of year," 29 June 2018

These example sentences are selected automatically from various online news sources to reflect current usage of the word 'red-winged blackbird.' Views expressed in the examples do not represent the opinion of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.

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First Known Use of red-winged blackbird

circa 1769, in the meaning defined above

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Time Traveler for red-winged blackbird

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The first known use of red-winged blackbird was circa 1769

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Cite this Entry

“Red-winged blackbird.” The Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster Inc., https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/red-winged%20blackbird. Accessed 28 January 2020.

More from Merriam-Webster on red-winged blackbird

Britannica.com: Encyclopedia article about red-winged blackbird

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