Rusty Blackbird

Rare Blackbird Visits St. George

Rusty Blackbird in Winter Plumage

The Rusty Blackbird (Euphagus carolinus) is an uncommon summer breeder here in New Brunswick and rare in winter.  A few have been seen at feeders this winter, like the two individuals I saw in St. George recently.  The Rusty Blackbird shares the Icteridae family with other blackbirds and orioles.  Other members of the family that occur here include the Common Grackle, the Red-winged Blackbird, the Brown-headed Cowbird, Bobolink, Eastern Meadowlark, and the Baltimore Oriole as well the occasional rarity.  

The Rusty Blackbird shown above is in winter plumage.  It is black with a cinnamon colour on its supercilium (eye stripe) and malar (throat stripe).  The feathers covering its wings and rump are edged in cinnamon.  These colourful edges wear off as spring approaches and the bird eventually becomes completely black.  The Rusty Blackbird always has a yellow iris.  Although in spring and summer it is a 'blackbird' it can be distinguished from the Common Grackle by its smaller size, its shorter tail and it is not nearly as glossy.  It can be told from the Red-winged Blackbird by its lack of wing patches even though it is nearly the same size.  The Brown-headed Cowbird is also similar but has a much thicker bill and the male shows dark brown on its head and neck.

Rusty Blackbird in Winter Plumage

The Rusty Blackbird inhabits swampy forest habitats.  It prefers spruce trees near bogs in the boreal forest to breed.  In winter it is found in wooded swamps especially along floodplains.  Its nest is bulky, woven from twigs and lichens and lined with grasses.  Its eggs are pale blue-green with brown and gray spots.  Incubation lasts 14 days.  They feed on insects, snails, small fish, waste grain and seeds, walking along the ground while feeding.

Rusty Blackbird in Summer Plumage

The Rusty Blackbird has a wide range.  The summer breeding range includes most of Canada except the Arctic region.  They winter in the eastern US southward to Louisiana, Mississippi, Alabama, and northern Florida.  I have seen them in South Carolina in winter where they associate with Boat-tailed and Common Grackles.

The Rusty Blackbird population has experienced a steep decline since 1960.  Some sources estimate a 90% drop.  The Breeding Bird Surveys and Christmas Bird Counts indicate an 85-95% drop.  This is a drastic population drop for which we have no confirmed cause.  Habitat loss due to clearcutting in the boreal forest would certainly be one cause.  Competition from the increase in other Icterid populations due to intensive agriculture of grain crops would be another.  But certainly more work needs to be done.  Seeing a few here in the province this winter is encouraging.  I hope their population is on the incline.