ODNR Division of Wildlife - A to Z Species Guide - Rusty Blackbird

Rusty Blackbird

Photo by Richard Day/Daybreak Imagery

Rusty blackbirds breed in the boreal forest north of Ohio, but migrate through in good numbers, and occasionally overwinter.

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Rusty Blackbird

Euphagus carolinus

At-a-Glance

• Incubation: 14 days

• Clutch Size: 4-5 eggs

• Young Fledge: 11-13 days after hatching

• Typical Foods: aquatic invertebrates and seeds

Description
In the spring, the males are an iridescent black and the females are dark gray. In the fall they are a rusty brown color. The eyes are yellow in both sexes.

Habitat and Habits
The rusty blackbird inhabits wet woods and swamps, buttonbush thickets, and other wooded wetlands. Occasionally, especially in winter, it will forage in fields. Because of the nature of the habitat that they frequent, rustys are often hard to see, but they regularly emit their loud, squeaky gurgle, which is often likened to the sound of a poorly oiled door hinge being opened. Their call note is a low, flat chek.

Reproduction and Care of the Young
A nest of sticks lined with grass and moss is placed in a shrub or low tree near water.