The red-shouldered blackbird, known in Cuban Spanish as mayito de la ciénaga or sargento cubano and turpial de hombros rojos, is a species of passerine bird in the family Icteridae endemic to Cuba. It is similar to other species in the genus Agelaius, but recent research has established it as a separate species from the closely related red-winged blackbird.
Region
Caribbean
Typical Environment
Occurs across lowland wetlands of Cuba, especially expansive freshwater marshes, wet prairies, and the edges of mangroves. It frequents reedbeds, cattail stands, and sawgrass flats, and also uses rice fields and flooded pastures. Nests are typically placed over shallow water in dense emergent vegetation. Outside breeding areas it forages in adjacent open fields and scrub.
Altitude Range
Sea level to 300 m
Climate Zone
Tropical
Ease of Keeping
Beginner friendly: 1/5
Endemic to Cuba, the red-shouldered blackbird was long treated as a form of the red-winged blackbird but is now recognized as a distinct species. Males display vivid red shoulder patches used in territorial displays over marshes. It thrives in freshwater wetlands, especially reedbeds and sawgrass swamps. Conservation attention focuses on preserving Cuba’s remaining marsh habitats.
Temperament
social and active
Flight Pattern
short rapid wingbeats
Social Behavior
Often forms loose colonies in marshes where males defend territories by displaying raised shoulder patches and singing from prominent perches. Polygynous mating is typical, with multiple females nesting within a male’s territory. Nests are cup-shaped and woven into reeds or sedges over water.
Migratory Pattern
Resident
Song Description
Male song is a buzzy, metallic series of notes with a distinctive, ringing quality; calls include sharp chack and chatter. Vocalizations carry well over open wetlands and are used for both mate attraction and territorial defense.
Plumage
Male is glossy black with bright red shoulder epaulettes, often with little to no yellow edging; female is brown and heavily streaked with a paler eyebrow and underparts. Feathers are sleek and fairly uniform, with males showing iridescence in good light.
Diet
Eats insects and other invertebrates such as beetles, grasshoppers, caterpillars, and aquatic larvae, as well as seeds and grains from grasses and sedges. It will take rice and other cultivated grains when available. During the breeding season, animal prey increases in the diet to feed nestlings. It also occasionally consumes small snails or other soft-bodied prey.
Preferred Environment
Forages along marsh edges, among emergent vegetation, and in damp fields adjoining wetlands. Often feeds on the ground or low in stems, gleaning insects and picking seeds from seed heads.
