Rusty Blackbird
(Euphagus carolinus)
Conservation • Description • Habitat • Biology • Distribution • Taxonomy
Conservation Status |
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| IUCN Red List | VU - Vulnerable |
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| NatureServe | N4B, N4N - Apparently Secure Breeding and Nonbreeding SNRB - Unranked Breeding |
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| Minnesota | not listed |
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Description |
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During mating season the male is entirely black with a faint green gloss on the body and a faint bluish or greenish gloss on the head. It may look black depending on the angle of the light. |
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Size |
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8″ to 10″ in length 15½″ wingspan |
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Voice |
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Similar Species |
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Habitat |
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Breeding: Moist woodlands; bogs and fens with shrubs; and wooded edges of streams and beaver ponds Migration: Mostly wooded wetlands but also open woodlands, pastures, and agricultural fields |
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Biology |
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Migration |
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Mid-March to late November |
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Nesting |
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Food |
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Distribution |
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Occurrence |
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Common migrant and local breeder |
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Maps |
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The Minnesota Ornithologists’ Union All Seasons Species Occurrence Map |
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Taxonomy |
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| Class | Aves (birds) | ||
Order |
Passeriformes (perching birds) | ||
Family |
Icteridae (American blackbirds, orioles, New World blackbirds) | ||
Genus |
Euphagus (rusty and Brewer’s blackbirds) | ||
Subordinate Taxa |
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Rusty Blackbird (Euphagus carolinus carolinus) Rusty Blackbird (Euphagus carolinus nigrans) |
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Synonyms |
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Visitor Photos |
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Share your photo of this bird. |
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Mary Genell |
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Rusty Blackbird The link on your site was not working, so I am emailing you my recent sighting of a Rusty Blackbird. I saw this bird at about 1:30 p.m. today, Tuesday, October 26, 2021, on an island in Rainy Lake, Koochiching County. I saw a single rusty blackbird. I believe it is a non-breeding male. |
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James Gordon |
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| Spotted in wooded, spring-fed pothole bog in maple and mixed hardwood and white pine forest. East side of Thoroughfare Creek. |  |
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Phil Voxland |
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Rusty Blackbird Non-Breeding Male |
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MinnesotaSeasons.com Photos |
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Slideshows |
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| Rusty Blackbird Dave Beaudette |
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| Rusty Blackbird JMC Nature Photos |
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Visitor Videos |
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Share your video of this bird. |
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| This button not working for you? Simply email us at info@MinnesotaSeasons.com. Attach a video, a YouTube link, or a cloud storage link. |
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Other Videos |
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| Rusty Blackbirds WIld Bird Video Productions |
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About
Uploaded on Mar 8, 2011 Rusty Blackbirds in winter. Feeding and singing. Connecticut. |
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| Rusty Blackbird singing and preening The Bearded Birder |
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About
Published on Feb 11, 2016 A male Rusty Blackbird singing and preening in Munson Slough south of Lake Henrietta in Tallahassee, Leon County, Florida. |
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| Euphagus carolinus = RUSTY BLACKBIRD Rob Curtis |
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About
Published on Mar 23, 2015 Euphagus carolinus = RUSTY BLACKBIRD Species photo gallery: |
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| Published on Apr 28, 2014 Woodfibrebirder |
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About
Published on Apr 28, 2014 Rusty Blackbird - Squamish River Estuary - April 28, 2014 |
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| Rusty Blackbird (Euphagus carolinus), Hillsboro Public Library, Oregon, 31 Oct 2013 Cyanocitta2 |
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About
Published on Oct 31, 2013 Rusty Blackbird (Euphagus carolinus), female, Hillsboro Public Library, Oregon, 31 Oct 2013. Found 30 Oct. by Mark Wilkinson. There are only 12 previous accepted records in all of Oregon for this species, which is from eastern North America and is declining at a rapid rate. |
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Visitor Sightings |
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Report a sighting of this bird. |
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| This button not working for you? Simply email us at info@MinnesotaSeasons.com. Be sure to include a location. |
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| Soring 11/11/2021 |
Location: Cohasset in Itasca County 7 rusty blackbirds. Observe a few here every year mid Nov |
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| Mary Genell 10/26/2021 |
Location: Rainy Lake, Koochiching County The link on your site was not working, so I am emailing you my recent sighting of a Rusty Blackbird. I saw this bird at about 1:30 p.m. today, Tuesday, October 26, 2021, on an island in Rainy Lake, Koochiching County. I saw a single rusty blackbird. I believe it is a non-breeding male. |
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| James Gordon 10/21/2019 |
Location: Dassel, Minnesota. Meeker county. a small group of 15-20 showed up in our yard, Possibly following a large group of crows that showed up a few minutes before they did. |
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| Phil Voxland 10/9/2018 |
Location: St. Louis County, Burntside Lake Rusty Blackbird Non-Breeding Male |
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MinnesotaSeasons.com Sightings |
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Last Updated: