As a rule blackbirds are not highly rated on the public “good-o-meter.”  Mention a crow or grackle and you’ll get a raised eyebrow at best or a raised shotgun at worse (pointed at the bird in question, not you!). Given their tendency to engage in mob behavior and destructive grain eating binges this attitude is somewhat historically justified. Even among birders, the blackbirds are given short shrift. One simply doesn’t brag about seeing a Starling or a Red-wing Blackbird – they are considered common, vulgar, and borderline evil. You therefore might find it odd that I am bringing up the subject once again. After all, it was only a few short weeks ago that I inflicted the sounds of a Red-wing Blackbird mob upon your ears. 

  My present intention is to direct your attention towards a particular type of blackbird called the Rusty Blackbird. This bird noir is, in many ways, the polar opposite of its brethren. It is a blackbird worth noting and telling others about.

  First of all, Rustys are northern migrants who only put in a brief local appearance during the spring and fall travel seasons (see above). They breed only in the boreal wetlands of Canada from Lake Superior to the northern slopes of Alaska.  And, although they flock together while migrating, these gangs pretty well stick to wetland habitats for feeding and do not make a habit of gleaning farm fields. Even in their overwintering mode, they confine themselves to the wooded wetlands of the lower 48 east of the Mississippi.

  Rusty Blackbirds are well named. The males are basically black with rusty colored feather edges and the females are light rusty-brown all over (see detail here). The gals often have a light brow stripe and some deep reddish patches that give them a distinctive autumn dignity which they lack during the summer nesting season. Both sexes have piercing pale eyes (see here). Those eyes alone will separate them from Red-wing Blackbirds (which have dark eyes). Common Grackles (see here) have light eyes as well, but are easily separated from the Rustys by being larger and having much longer tails. Grackles also exhibit a flashy iridescence that is lacking in their smaller northern cousins.

  Before I introduce you to the call of this unique little B-bird, I’d like to give you one solid reason why you  should look and listen for them. Rusty Blackbirds are becoming rare. Since the mid-1960’s their numbers have declined dramatically. One website author has even gone so far as to claim that the species has “suffered one of the most staggering population declines of any bird in North America.”  Even though I think that kind of statement should be reserved for Passenger Pigeons, the implications are chilling. The “what” is apparent, but no one is certain as to the “why.”

  Birders and researchers both want to know when and where this blackbird shows up.  Sightings can be reported to the Smithsonian Migratory Bird Center where scientists are attempting to analyze why they are rusting away.

  Perhaps the quickest way to identify this blackbird is to hear its call (Rusty Blackbird Call). Often described as the sound of a rusty hinge, this description doesn’t do the call justice. A hinge creaks only once.  The call of the Common Grackle is more hinge-like. The Rusty Blackbird creaks in an ascending four-parted melody that might be written as “Kritch-A-Loo-Wee.” Birds don’t speak English, which would explain the improper grammar, but the phrase could be roughly translated as “It’ll do we.”  Listen to the individual recording again and then try out this group of Rustys (Gang of Rustys).  Now, compare the sound to a gang of Grackles gracking (Grackle Gang) and you’ll see the difference.

  Lend your eye and ear to landscape before the autumn winds silence these above average blackbirds. We can only hope that silence will remain seasonal.