Rusty Blackbird

Rusty Blackbird, breeding male; Churchill, Manitoba, Canada in mid-June.

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Rusty Blackbird, adult female; Ventura Co. CA; December

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1. Description
2. Sound
3. Conservation Status
4. Other Names
5. Cool Facts
6. Full detailed species account

The Rusty Blackbird breeds in swampy wooded areas of Canada and Alaska. Relatively uncommon, it has evidently undergone a steady population decline since the mid-1960s.

Description

• Medium-sized songbird.
• Medium-long tail.
• Narrow, pointed bill.
• Breeding male is black, with a greenish sheen.
• Breeding female is slate-gray.
• Both sexes show rusty feather edging over much of their plumage in fall and winter.
• Eyes yellow.

• Size: 21-25 cm (8-10 in)
• Wingspan: 37 cm (15 in)
• Weight: 47-80 g (1.66-2.82 ounces)

Sex Differences

In spring and summer, male is black and female is gray. Both sexes show rusty feather edges in winter, but ground color of male is black, while that of female is gray.

Sound

Song consists of two or three notes, followed by a higher, rising note, like the creak of rusty hinges. Call note is a harsh "chek."

Conservation Status

Breeding Bird Survey data show a significant decline from 1966 to 2001. Low densities and remote breeding habitat make clear determination of trends difficult. Listed on the Audubon Watchlist.

Other Names

Quiscale rouilleux (French)

Cool Facts

• Like most members of the blackbird family, the Rusty Blackbird undergoes only one molt per year. The change in appearance between winter and summer results from the rust-colored feather tips of "winter plumage" wearing off and leaving behind the smooth black or gray "breeding plumage."
• The Rusty Blackbird feeds mostly on insects and plant matter, but it sometimes attacks and eats other birds. It has been documented feeding on sparrows, robins, and snipe, among others.

Sources used to construct this page:

Avery. M. L. 1995. Rusty Blackbird (Euphagus carolinus). In The Birds of North America, No. 200 (A. Poole and F. Gill, eds.). The Academy of Natural Sciences, Philadelphia, and The American Ornithologists' Union, Washington, D.C.