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Difference between revisions of "Rusty Blackbird" - BirdForum Opus

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(Attempt to disguise some of the copied text. Taxonomy expanded. References. Pictures moved and re-sized due to layout problems)
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[[Image:Rusty Blackbird winter.jpg|thumb|550px|right|Adult in "rusty" winter plumage<br/>Photo by {{user|Marcel+Gauthier|Marcel Gauthier}}<br/>Location: Saint-Jean-sur-Richelieu, [[Quebec]], [[Canada]], Jan. 2006]]
 
;[[:Category:Euphagus|Euphagus]] carolinus
 
;[[:Category:Euphagus|Euphagus]] carolinus
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[[Image:Rusty Blackbird winter.jpg|thumb|550px|right|Adult in "rusty" winter plumage<br/>Photo by {{user|Marcel+Gauthier|Marcel Gauthier}}<br/>Location: Saint-Jean-sur-Richelieu, [[Quebec]], [[Canada]], Jan. 2006]]
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==Identification==
 
==Identification==
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21-25cm (9 ins). Medium-long tail, narrow, pointed bill, breeding male is black, with a greenish sheen, breeding female is slate-grey. Both sexes have rusty feather edging over much of their plumage in autumn and winter. Eyes pale yellow. "Rusty" refers to the brownish winter plumage, which wears off by the spring, giving the all dark plumage.
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21-25cm (9 ins)
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*Medium-long tail
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*Narrow, pointed bill
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*Rusty feather edges over much of their plumage in autumn and winter
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*Pale yellow eyes<br />
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'''Breeding male'''
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*Black, with a greenish sheen<br />
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[[Image:Rusty_Blackbird.jpg|thumb|300px|right|Adult<br /> Photo by {{user|bluedubius|bluedubius}}<br />Kingsport, [[Tennessee]], [[USA]], March 2004]]
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'''Breeding female'''
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*Slate-grey
  
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"Rusty" refers to the brownish winter plumage, which wears off by the spring, giving the all dark plumage.
 
====Similar Species====  
 
====Similar Species====  
 
Less glossy than the [[Brewer's Blackbird]].
 
Less glossy than the [[Brewer's Blackbird]].
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==Distribution==
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[[Canada]] and [[Alaska]]; also found in [[Maine]], [[New Hampshire]], [[Vermont]], and the Adirondacks in [[New York]]. Winters throughout the eastern [[United States]] south of [[New York]].
  
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==Distribution==
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Rare vagrant in western states. Accidental vagrant to [[Greenland]].  
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[[Image:Rusty_Blackbird.png|thumb|350px|right|Graphic by Nrg800]]
 
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[[Canada]] and [[Alaska]]; also found in [[Maine]], [[New Hampshire]], [[Vermont]], and the Adirondacks in [[New York]]. Winters throughout the eastern [[United States]] south of [[New York]]. Rare vagrant in western states. Accidental vagrant to [[Greenland]].  Uncommon and declining, rare in the west.
 
  
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[[Image:Rusty_Blackbird.jpg|thumb|350px|right|Adult<br/> Photo by {{user|bluedubius|bluedubius}}<br/>Location: Kingsport, [[Tennessee]], [[USA]], March 2004]]
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Uncommon and declining, rare in the west.
 
==Taxonomy==
 
==Taxonomy==
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Polytypic. Consists of two subspecies:
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[[Image:Rusty_Blackbird.png|thumb|250px|right|Graphic by Nrg800]]
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*E. c. carolinus (Statius Muller, 1776)
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====Subspecies====
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*E. c. nigrans (Burleigh & J. L. Peters, 1948)
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This is a [[Dictionary_M-S#P|polytypic]] species<sup>[[#References|[1]]]</sup> consisting of 2 subspecies:
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*''E. c. carolinus'':
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:N Alaska and n Yukon to ne US; > to Gulf States
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*''E. c. nigrans Newfoundland, Magdalen I., and Nova Scotia; > to Georgia
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==Habitat==
 
==Habitat==
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==Behaviour==
 
==Behaviour==
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[[Image:Rusty BB imm.jpg|thumb|350px|left|Immature showing the rusty coloration<br/>Photo by {{user|HelenB|HelenB}}<br/>Location: [[Brazos Bend SP]], [[Texas]], [[USA]], Jan. 2009]]
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[[Image:Rusty BB imm.jpg|thumb|350px|right|Immature showing the rusty coloration<br />Photo by {{user|HelenB|HelenB}}<br />[[Brazos Bend SP]], [[Texas]], [[USA]], Jan. 2009]]
 
Feeds on the ground in boggy, muddy areas. Diet includes insects and plant matter, but it sometimes attacks and eats other birds. It has been documented feeding on sparrows, robins, and snipe, among others.  
 
Feeds on the ground in boggy, muddy areas. Diet includes insects and plant matter, but it sometimes attacks and eats other birds. It has been documented feeding on sparrows, robins, and snipe, among others.  
  
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====Vocalisation====
 
====Vocalisation====
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Song: a high squeaky ''kssh-dlleee''. Call: a harsh ''chuck''.
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Song: a high squeaky ''kssh-dlleee''.<br />
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Call: a harsh ''chuck''.
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==References==
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#{{Ref-Clements6thAug15}}#All About Birds
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{{ref}}
 
==External Links==
 
==External Links==
 
{{GSearch|Euphagus+carolinus}}  
 
{{GSearch|Euphagus+carolinus}}  
 
[[Category:Birds]] [[Category:Euphagus]]
 
[[Category:Birds]] [[Category:Euphagus]]

Revision as of 11:32, 9 October 2015

Adult in "rusty" winter plumage
Photo by Marcel Gauthier
Location: Saint-Jean-sur-Richelieu, Quebec, Canada, Jan. 2006
Euphagus carolinus


Identification

21-25cm (9 ins)

  • Medium-long tail
  • Narrow, pointed bill
  • Rusty feather edges over much of their plumage in autumn and winter
  • Pale yellow eyes

Breeding male

  • Black, with a greenish sheen
Adult
Photo by bluedubius
Kingsport, Tennessee, USA, March 2004

Breeding female

  • Slate-grey

"Rusty" refers to the brownish winter plumage, which wears off by the spring, giving the all dark plumage.

Similar Species

Less glossy than the Brewer's Blackbird.

Distribution

Canada and Alaska; also found in Maine, New Hampshire, Vermont, and the Adirondacks in New York. Winters throughout the eastern United States south of New York.

Rare vagrant in western states. Accidental vagrant to Greenland.

Uncommon and declining, rare in the west.

Taxonomy

Graphic by Nrg800

Subspecies

This is a polytypic species[1] consisting of 2 subspecies:

  • E. c. carolinus:
N Alaska and n Yukon to ne US; > to Gulf States
  • E. c. nigrans Newfoundland, Magdalen I., and Nova Scotia; > to Georgia


Habitat

Bogs and swampy areas, almost always found near water. Wet woodlands.

Behaviour

Immature showing the rusty coloration
Photo by HelenB
Brazos Bend SP, Texas, USA, Jan. 2009

Feeds on the ground in boggy, muddy areas. Diet includes insects and plant matter, but it sometimes attacks and eats other birds. It has been documented feeding on sparrows, robins, and snipe, among others.

Breeding

Nests in the far north of N. America. The cup shaped nest is built in a tree or dense shrub, usually over water.

Vocalisation

Song: a high squeaky kssh-dlleee.
Call: a harsh chuck.

References

  1. Clements, J. F., T. S. Schulenberg, M. J. Iliff, D. Roberson, T. A. Fredericks, B. L. Sullivan, and C. L. Wood. 2015. The eBird/Clements checklist of birds of the world: v2015, with updates to August 2015. Downloaded from http://www.birds.cornell.edu/clementschecklist/download/
  2. All About Birds

Recommended Citation

External Links

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