Rusty Blackbird 2025

(C) Dever Halteman

The Rusty Blackbird (Euphagus carolinus) is a medium-sized songbird known for its striking seasonal plumage changes. In summer, males are glossy black, while females are dark gray-brown, but in winter, both sexes develop a distinctive rusty-edged feathering that gives them their name. This species breeds in the boreal forests of Canada and Alaska, favoring wet, swampy areas with dense coniferous trees. During migration and winter, they travel to the southeastern United States, where they inhabit wooded wetlands, flooded fields, swamps, and riparian areas.Unlike many blackbirds, Rusty Blackbirds rely heavily on wetland habitats throughout their life cycle.

Their natural history is notable for their specialized diet, which includes aquatic insects, small fish, seeds, and waste grain. Unlike other blackbirds that thrive in open agricultural areas, Rusty Blackbirds prefer forested wetlands, making them particularly vulnerable to habitat loss. Over the past several decades, their population has declined drastically—by as much as 85–95%—likely due to wetland drainage, climate change, and habitat fragmentation in both their breeding and wintering grounds. They are among North America's most rapidly declining songbirds, sparking concern among conservationists.

(C) Debbie Beer

In Pennsylvania, Rusty Blackbirds are primarily seen during migration, passing through the state in spring and fall as they travel between their northern breeding grounds and southeastern wintering areas. They are most commonly observed in wet, wooded areas, such as swampy forests and flooded fields, where they forage in small, often inconspicuous flocks. Due to their declining numbers and reliance on diminishing wetland habitats, conservation efforts in Pennsylvania and beyond are crucial to protecting this unique and increasingly rare species. (Vern Gauthier)