MDI Birds
  • « Return to species index

    Rusty Blackbird / Euphagus carolinus

    Migration: early-late Apr with from late Mar and to early May, and again late Sep-late Oct with from mid Sep and to early Nov, primarily at the edge of wooded streams and ponds.

    : Bar Harbor Jan 24-Feb12, 2013 and Swan's Island Feb 9, 2022.

    Miscellany: Rusties have perhaps sustained the most dramatic decline of any North American bird since the 1960s with some estimates of the population shrinkage at more than 90%. There seems to be no single reason for the decline although habitat loss on both breeding and wintering grounds and the effects of a warming climate are implicated.

    Last Reviewed: July 29th, 2026