Rusty blackbird
Euphagus carolinus
Identification Tips:
- Length: 8 inches
- Sharply-pointed bill
- Pale eye
- Often found in wet wooded areas
Male:
- Entirely black plumage in Spring and Summer
- Variable amount of brown feather edges in Fall and Winter often with pale
supercilium and malar streak
Female:
- Breeding plumage similar to male but grayer
- Winter plumage similar to male's
Similar species:
Male Rusty Blackbird similar to male Brewer's Blackbird but lacks purple
iridescence. Female Brewer's Blackbird has a dark eye. Grackles are larger
with much longer tails. Cowbirds are smaller with more conical bills.
Length and wingspan from: Robbins, C.S., Bruun, B., Zim, H.S., (1966). Birds of North America. New York: Western Publishing Company, Inc.