Rusty Blackbird (RUBL)
Euphagus carolinus
Range
Rusty Blackbirds breed throughout Canada ranging from the East Coast to the West Coast. During migration they move through central Canada into their wintering habitat in the eastern United States from the eastern portions of Texas, Kansas, and Nebraska to the Gulf Coast.
Additional Maps
Identification
Rusty Blackbirds are medium-sized blackbirds with small, curved beaks and pale yellow eyes. Breeding males are glossy black with a greenish sheen while non-breeding males are dark brown with black speckling and rusty edging on the feathers. Female Rusty Blackbirds are dark brown with a dusty brown puff, chin, and brow with black-tipped feathers and dark brom eyering.Rusty Blackbird songs consist of two or three notes followed by a higher-pitched note like rusty hinges. Their call note is a harsh chek.
Habitat
During the breeding season Rusty Blackbird nest in wet forests, building their nests out of wet, rotting plant matter in trees or shrubs near bodies of water. In the winter they reside in swamps, wet woodlands, and pond edges.
Conservation Status
- Listed as Vulnerable by the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN)
Status by State
- Listed as Species of Greatest Conservation Need by the 2015 Delaware Wildlife Action Plan
- Listed as Bird Species of Greatest Conservation Need by the 2015-2025 Maryland State Wildlife Action Plan
- Listed as Species of Greatest Conservation Need by the 2015 Massachusetts Wildlife Action Plan
- Listed as Species of Greatest Conservation Need by the 2015 New Hampshire Wildlife Action Plan
- Listed as a High Priority Species of Greatest Conservation Need by the List of Endangered, Threatened and Special Concern Fish and Wildlife Species of New York State
- Listed as Species of Greatest Conservation Need by the 2015-2025 Pennsylvania Wildlife Action Plan
- Listed as Species of Greatest Conservation Need by the 2015 Rhode Island Wildlife Action Plan
- Listed as High Priority by the Vermont Department of Fish and Wildlife
- Listed as Species of Greatest Conservation Need by the 2015 Virginia Wildlife Action Plan
Threats to Conservation
Rusty Blackbirds are listed as Common Birds in Steep Decline as despite a yearly decline of 3% the species is still numerous. The causes for this decline are not fully clear but possible factors have been identified. Habitat loss in wet-woodlands due to drainage, clearcutting, and agriculture in the southeastern U.S. has limited their wintering range. Populations in North America have also been found with unusual levels of mercury in their blood and wings, suggesting issues with contamination.
Funding Opportunities
- America the Beautiful Challenge
- Connecticut Ornithological Association (COA) Mini Grant
- Conservation Nation Grant Program
- Community Forest Program
- Delaware River Program
- Delaware River Watershed Initiative
- Environmental Quality Incentives Program (EQIP)
- Land Trust Bird Conservation Initiative Small Grant Program
- MassWildlife Habitat Management Grant Program
- Neotropical Migratory Bird Conservation Act (NMBCA) Grant
- NFWF Grants Library
- Northeast Forests and Rivers Fund
- Partners for Fish and Wildlife Grant
- Regional Conservation Partnership Program (RCPP)
- Sustainable Forestry Initiative (SFI) Conservation Grant Projects
- The Migratory Bird Program