Female RWBB?

[Bass]

Hello everyone.  this is my first post.  Great site.

Can you please let me know if this bird is a female red wing black bird?  
thanks,

Ernie

[frozenice7885]

that is a good question
if i had to guess on the spot i would say yes it is but the orange ring around its eye puzzles me a bit as does the two white lines running parallel half way down its back i checked in books and i didnt see these two features in any of the pictures of female rw.  also it looks as if it has to much orange on its body in places for it too be a pure female so if i had to make an educated guess i would say no or its a hybrid of some sort

[moratorian]

I agree. The back is a bit too boldly patterned for a female RWBB. I'm wondering if the orange ring around the eye is an artifact of the light making it appear much more orange than it actually is.

Mike

[Brian Bailey]

The bird is definitely a female Red-winged Blackbird:


They started arriving in the past week.  The bill shape is the giveaway that it's not one of the sparrows or finches.

I think the odd orange patch on the face may be a result of the lighting.  Most of the bird in in shade, but part of the face is in sun.  Note highlight reflection in the eye.  Also, notice the cattail stalk it's perched on looks orange in the sun, but gray in the shadows.  It looks like this was in the early morning or late afternoon.

BB

[Bass]

Thanks very much to everyone for their help.  Yes it was taken in late afternoon, about 7pm I believe.  It was at the edge of the gm pond after I walked through second marsh.

Happy birding!