The International Rusty Blackbird Working Group (IRBWG) has been studying this species for a number of years, trying to determine why Rustys have declined 85-95% since the mid 1900’s, according to the best available estimates! Quoting from their website, “The Rusty Blackbird (Euphagus carolinus) is a widespread North American species that has shown chronic long-term and acute short-term population declines, based both on breeding season and wintering ground surveys.”
Though our state does not provide important wintering habitat for Rustys, the IRBWG believes Illinois is a key stopover corridor for the species as they travel north to their breeding grounds in the coniferous forests far to our north. The IRBWG reached out to IOS, asking us to organize, recruit birders and lead a 3 year long effort, aka the Rusty Blackbird Blitz, to find out where and in what numbers Rustys are found here in Illinois, as they pass through during spring migration. IOS member Nick Sly at the University of Illinois is State Coordinator, along with Drew Becker of the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service – Rock Island Field Office. Questions? Reach Nick atndsly2@illinois.edu and Drew at Drew_Becker@fws.gov.
The start of the Blitz is March 1, 2014, extending through mid April of this year. Additional field monitoring efforts will then take place in 2015 and 2016. During the 2014 season, the major challenge to birders will be scouting locations where Rustys are likely to be. As we all know, they like wet woodlands, but are often mixed in with larger multispecies blackbird flocks during the spring.
For tips on what areas and habitats to search, click here. For a comprehensive review of identification tips, click here.
Once you’ve found them, separated them from their lookalike cousins, you can report your data on a simple data sheet prepared by IRBWG. For complete details on the protocol, click here.
When the Illinois birding community puts its boots on the ground, we can provide important data on this declining species as it moves north through Illinois this spring.Remember: Rusty Blackbirds need you!