Fauna Series No. 3

Fauna of the National Parks — No. 3 Birds and Mammals of Mount McKinley National Park

Birds

DESCRIPTIONS OF BIRD SPECIES

RUSTY BLACKBIRD
Euphagus carolinus [MULLER]

GENERAL APPEARANCE.—A medium-sized blackbird, the eyes in both sexes being straw-colored. The body is all glossy black or black washed with rusty. Length, 9.5 inches.

IDENTIFICATION.—Distinctive characters of the rusty blackbird are the light straw-colored eyes in both sexes; the greenish instead of purple reflection in the male, and the light eyes and faint traces of rusty on the breast and back of the female distinguish the species from Brewer's blackbird.

DISTRIBUTION.—It breeds from Kowak River, Alaska, east and south to northern Maine, New Brunswick, and Nova Scotia.

HABITS.—According to John and Paula Anderson's report, on May 5, 1929, the first male blackbird was seen at Wonder Lake at 5 p. m. Charles Sheldon reports the first spring arrival on May 10, 1908. In 1927 the first male of this species was seen at Wonder Lake at 3 p. m. on May 10; the female birds were seen the next day.

This bird was found at Wonder Lake on July 18, 1926, when an adult female was collected, and again on August 14, 1932, when an adult male was seen. On July 27, 1926, 3 miles below Savage River Canyon, we saw a family of four young rusty blackbirds and their parents fly across Savage River.

This bird is a regular breeder in the McKinley region.

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Last Modified: Thurs, Oct 4 2001 10:00:00 pm PDT
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