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Rusty Blackbird

Rusty Blackbird

Euphagus carolinus

Audubon Illustration

Audubon illustration of Rusty Blackbird

John James Audubon, Birds of America (1827-1838). Public domain.

Migration Flyway

Showing primary migration corridor(s) for this species

Last Spotted Near You

View on eBirdWikipedia

About the Rusty Blackbird

The rusty blackbird (Euphagus carolinus) is a medium-sized New World blackbird, closely related to grackles ("rusty grackle" is an older name for the species). It is a bird that prefers wet forested areas, breeding in the boreal forest and muskeg across northern Canada, and migrating southeast to the United States during winter. Formerly abundant, the rusty blackbird has undergone one of the most rapid declines of any abundant bird species in North America in recent years, for reasons that are not well understood.

Source: Wikipedia

Classification

Scientific name
Euphagus carolinus
Family
Troupials and Allies
Order
Passeriformes

Similar species

Other members of the troupials and allies family recorded in North America — a useful place to start if you are not certain of your identification.

  • Altamira Oriole Icterus gularis
  • Audubon's Oriole Icterus graduacauda
  • Baltimore Oriole Icterus galbula
  • Bar-winged Oriole Icterus maculialatus
  • Black-backed Oriole Icterus abeillei
  • Black-cowled Oriole Icterus prosthemelas
  • Black-vented Oriole Icterus wagleri
  • Boat-tailed Grackle Quiscalus major
  • Bobolink Dolichonyx oryzivorus
  • Brewer's Blackbird Euphagus cyanocephalus
  • Bronzed Cowbird Molothrus aeneus
  • Brown-headed Cowbird Molothrus ater

Know when the Rusty Blackbird turns up near you

Add it to your watchlist and draw an alert zone around the places you actually bird. Birdr checks eBird reports and tells you when one is seen inside it.

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Gear for spotting Rusty Blackbird

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Spotting Scopes for Distance Birding

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