Euphagus carolinus
The Rusty Blackbird owes its name to the color of its fall plumage, but its name could just as well reflect this bird's pathetic, grating, squeaky song, which sounds very much a rusty hinge. When Rusty Blackbirds are migrating and during winter, they use a wide variety of habitats, but they typically roost in marshy or swampy areas. Unlike other blackbirds, the Rusty Blackbird is not a significant 'nuisance' bird, because it tends to avoid human-altered environments. Euphagus is Greek for 'good eater,' which is a rather puzzling name. |
I.D.: General: yellow eyes; dark legs and bill. Breeding: dark plumage; male is darker and has a subtle green gloss. Fall: rusty wings, back and crown; male is darker; female has buffy underparts. Size: L 9 in. (23 cm). Range: rare migrant and summer visitor and very rare winter visitor to the Canadian Rockies; rare elsewhere in the Rockies. Habitat: beaver ponds, roadsides, landfills, wet meadows and shoreline shrubs up to the lower subalpine. Nesting: typically in the northern boreal forest; in a shrub or small tree, often near water; bulky nest is woven with twigs and lichens, with an inner cup of mud and grass; female incubates 4-5 eggs for 14 days. Feeding: walks along shorelines gleaning waterbugs, beetles, dragonflies, snails, grasshoppers and small fish; also eats waste grain and seeds. Voice: call is like a rusty door hinge. Similar Species: Brewer's Blackbird: male has 'whiter' eyes and glossier plumage; female has dark eyes. Common Grackle: keeled tail; larger body and bill size. |
