ABSTRACT
The red-winged blackbird is one of the most numerous and widespread birds in North America. The red-winged blackbird is a polygynous species that breeds in wetlands, hayfields, and grasslands near water. This method employs a two-stage sampling procedure wherein territorial males are captured and marked by a visual sighting during the first stage and recaptured by a visual sighting of a male in the same approximate location during the second stage. The roadside estimate method is not effective for breeding females. The roadside estimate can be done rapidly, but it is not an accurate estimator of the true number of territorial males. Area counts can be used in conjunction with the roadside estimates to determine the approximate amount of error; area counts are usually higher than roadside estimates.
