Rusty Blackbird    Euphagus carolinus

Conservation Status

General Status in Canada : Sensitive

COSEWIC Status : Special concern

The Breeding Bird Survey (BBS) has documented precipitous declines in Rusty Blackbird populations throughout North America since the mid-1960s. This species breeds in largely inaccessible wetland habitats of the boreal forest and it breeds in low densities, which means it has been largely unstudied. It also means that its breeding habitat is essentially unmerchantable for forestry, at least in the northern part of its range. As such, forestry practices are likely not responsible for the observed declines, though the loss of wetland habitats through land conversion, drainage, and climate change are possible explanations. Changes in the availability and distribution of winter food resources, blackbird control programs in the southern United States, and habitat degradation on the wintering grounds could also be contributing factors. However, further research is required to gain a more complete understanding of the cause(s) behind ongoing declines.

Reference(s)

Avery, M. L. 1995. Rusty Blackbird (Euphagus carolinus), The Birds of North America Online, . A. Poole, Ed. Ithaca: Cornell Laboratory of Ornithology; Retrieved from The Birds of North America Online database: http://bna.cornell.edu/bna/species/200