differences

Some birds confuse me!  These two often up show in the feeder garden.  The female Red-wing Blackbird (top) has a long pointed beak for gleaning cattail seeds in the grassy pond area where they nest.  The female Rose-breasted Grosbeak (bottom) has a thicker beak for opening the bigger seeds they prefer.  Their male mates are bright and flashy, but these females wear a softly speckled breast and subtle coloring to avoid being noticed as they nest and raise their defenseless chicks.  Each has a beak that is best suited for the food they prefer.