As I freely walked the Prairie at the Chicago Botanic Gardens to photograph the native plants, I was almost always followed closely by a Red-winged Blackbird (Agelaius phoeniceus). He always squawked loudly at me and circled over my head. There was no way for me to try to sneak up on wildlife. Copyright 2025 Pamela BreitbergThere was a sold reason why this Red-winged Blackbird was warning me. He, like most Red-winged Blackbird males, was protecting a collection of nests. They were all built on the Prairie ground; hidden from view of most. Though he had multiple famlies, he fiercely protected them all. Copyright 2025 Pamela Breitberg
