Tricolored Blackbird

The Tricolored Blackbird, <em>Agelaius tricolor</em>, belongs to the family Icteridae, the New World blackbirds, and is endemic to the Pacific Coast of North America. Detailed plumage and behavioral descriptions of this species are limited in the available literature. This species is closely associated with wetland habitats, where it forms some of the largest colonial breeding aggregations of any North American bird. Its range is largely restricted to California and small portions of adjacent states and Baja California, Mexico. The Tricolored Blackbird is classified as Endangered, reflecting significant population declines driven by habitat loss, agricultural pressures, and the vulnerability of its highly colonial nesting strategy. Diet information is not detailed in the available data. Nesting takes place in a cup nest, typically built over water among dense emergent vegetation. Clutch size ranges from 3 to 4 eggs, with an incubation period of approximately 11 to 14 days; fledging occurs at roughly 9 to 14 days after hatching. Song and call descriptions are limited in the available literature.