Wildlife Damage Management, Internet Center for
Date of this Version
November 1976
Abstract
Three approaches were taken to link breeding and wintering areas of Red-winged Blackbirds: (1) banding in wintering areas, (2) banding nestlings, and (3) banding territorial males. Information gained from the first two approaches was meager compared to the manpower involved. The third approach was to capture, band, and color-tag male Redwings on northern breeding territories and then search for the birds the following winter in known roosts and surrounding feeding areas to the south. The third approach was very productive. It resulted in the linking of Redwing breeding areas in Wyoming and Montana with wintering areas in Colorado. Infor- mation similar to that obtained from trapping in Wyoming and Montana can probably be obtained on other Redwing populations by following the third approach.