Rusty Blackbird Populations Crashing — Bird Watchers Urgently Needed To Track Rusty Blackbirds In April

ITHICA, N.Y. Populations of Rusty Blackbirds are crashing. Their numbers have plummeted as much as 88-98% over the last few decades, according to data gathered from 1966 to 2006 by the North American Breeding Bird Survey and Christmas Bird Count. Bird watchers across North America are being asked to help scientists track migrating Rusty Blackbirds, April 1-7. They can enter their tallies online at eBird, a bird checklist project developed by the Cornell Lab of Ornithology and Audubon: <www.eBird.org>.

A century ago, the Rusty Blackbird was an incredibly abundant bird. Accounts from the period detail spectacular spring migrations between the species’ wintering grounds in the bottomland forests of the southeastern United States and its breeding grounds in the forested wetlands of North America’s vast boreal forest. Ornithological reports from New England and southern Canada describe waves of tens to hundreds of thousands of Rusty Blackbirds blackening the earth and clouding the sky in the spring. In many communities, the migration of Rusty Blackbirds was likened to the year’s first chorus of tree frogsa sign that spring had finally arrived.

These reports stand in stark contrast to the situation today. Rusty Blackbird populations have suffered one of most staggering population declines of any bird in North America. A better understanding of the Rusty Blackbird’s habitat requirements is key to conserving its remaining populations. Spring migration is an especially critical time. Rusty Blackbirds congregate in large flocks which may be particularly vulnerable to habitat losses, blackbird control programs, or other disturbances. Unfortunately, very little is known about the natural history requirements of the Rusty Blackbird during its northward migration.

Scientists at Audubon and the Cornell Lab of Ornithology are appealing to bird watchers to help fill this information gap by looking for Rusty Blackbirds migrating north April 1-7. The data collected and reported through eBird will help identify important migration stopover locations and habitats for conservation. It will help researchers examine whether long-term changes to key migration habitats are responsible for the species’ decline. To participate, visit <www.ebird.org> to send in observations, taking note of: