I had the absolute honor of watching this Rusty Blackbird forage on the margins of ice near Spruce Creek a couple of days ago. Watching her hunt with such quiet purpose hit me in the “feels” as they say.
You see, Rusty Blackbirds populations are collapsing. Yes. Collapsing.
This beautiful species has declined by 85–95% since the mid-20th century. That’s not a slow slide, folks. The species was once described as abundant in wintering flocks across the East are now considered scarce, local, and unpredictable. In many places, even a single bird (like this) is noteworthy.
Two reliable spots for Rusty Blackbirds in spring are the Robert P. Brooks Wetland behind Northern Blair County Recreation Center, and Moorhen Marsh just off Old Sixth Avenue in Altoona. Proof of the importance of these habitats for a bird that is in serious trouble.
Rusty Blackbirds are wetland specialists. They breed in boreal wetlands—forested bogs, beaver ponds—and winter in shallow, wooded wetlands, flooded bottomlands, and icy creek margins like the one I saw this beautiful girl at.
Those habitats have been hit hard:
• Drainage of forested wetlands for agriculture and development
• Loss of beaver-created wetlands due to trapping and land use changes
• Hydrologic alteration that removes shallow, seasonally flooded areas
Rusty Blackbirds don’t adapt well to simplified or heavily altered landscapes.
Contaminants in the water:
Another major concern is contamination:
• Studies have found elevated mercury levels, especially on breeding grounds
• Mercury affects reproduction and neurological function
• Their diet—heavy in aquatic insects and invertebrates—makes them especially vulnerable
The Rusty Blackbird deserves saving. Their habitats deserves every single ounce of protection we can muster. And no, they aren’t a “poster child” species of decline such as the Whooping Crane, or White Rhino – but rather proof that extinction sometimes occurs quietly, and in the corners of our own back yards.
This observation, given it is a single bird – and a female (which are thought to be declining even more rapidly) brings me to this:
Every accurate recorded observation of a Rusty Blackbird on eBird matters. What also matters is the preservation of messy, shallow woodland wetlands, vernal pools, and the like on which these birds depend on for their future.
#birding #conservation #rustyblackbird #birding #wildlife