Male parental care in a population of Red-winged Blackbirds, 1983–1988

Abstract

The proportion of male Red-winged Blackbirds (Agelaius phoeniceus) among populations that assist females in feeding nestlings is highly variable. We report our observations from a 6-year study of male redwings feeding offspring in a Washington State population, and compare our findings with those from other North American regions. We found that nests at which males fed offspring fledged significantly more young than other nests on the same territories. However, less than 10% of breeding males each year fed nestlings, and it remains unclear why more males do not do so.