Habitat
Breeds in boreal wetlands, primarily around ponds and streams within the boreal forest. Winters primarily in wooded wetlands and is not strongly associated with open agricultural habitats.
Population
Estimated population is 200,000 - 2,000,000 (2010) and decreasing.
Status VU
Destruction and conversion of boreal wetlands, boreal wetland drying, loss of wooded wetlands in the south-east U.S. winter range, and mortality associated with past and ongoing blackbird control efforts are the main threats.
For more information see BirdLife International Species Factsheet.
Food
Mainly insects, small fish and some seeds.
Voice
Males sing a squeaky but sweet rising 'kush-a-lee'.
Rusty Blackbird (Euphagus carolinus) [XC356452]
by William Whitehead from West of Glennallen, Route 1, Valdez-Cordova, Alaska, United States (call)
Rusty Blackbird (Euphagus carolinus) [XC461655]
by William Whitehead from Linden, Union County, New Jersey, United States (call)
Subspecies
Closely related to Brewer's Blackbird (Euphagus cyanocephalus).
The following 2 subspecies are recognised:
carolinus (Müller, 1776) - Breeds south of tundra from north-western Alaska (Kotzebue Sound) eastern across Canada from northern Territories (Mackenzie Delta) to Labrador, and south to extreme north-eastern USA (New York state east to central Maine); migrates to eastern USA.
nigrans Burleigh & Peters, HS, 1948 - Breeds south-eastern Canada (Newfoundland, Nova Scotia and New Brunswick); migrates to eastern USA.
Similar Species
Brewer's Blackbird (Euphagus cyanocephalus), but males have a blue body gloss with contrasting violet head and females are browner. They also have a more rubust bill and more elegant gait.
References
See References.
BirdLife International Species Factsheet