[birdky] Rusty Blackbird- Need for eBird Observations

Mark Your Calendars for the Rusty Blackbird Hot Spot Blitz!  

 

It's that time of year again where we begin to see Rusty Blackbirds show
up at some of our bottomlands, riverbanks and lakesides at selected
locations in Kentucky.  The Rusty Blackbird has been steeply declining
with estimates of an 85-99% population drop over the past 40 years.  The
cause for this alarming decline is not known and the increasingly sparse
and patchy winter distribution of the Rusty Blackbird is making it more
difficult to learn more about distribution, abundance, and ecology as a
basis for conservation efforts.  The Rusty Blackbird Technical Working
Group (RBTWG) needs your help to find local, but predictable wintering
concentrations of Rusty Blackbirds by participating in the Rusty
Blackbird Hot Spot Blitz, February 7-15, 2009.  

 

The Rusty Blackbird Hot Spot Blitz will occur throughout the Rusty
Blackbird winter range in over 20 midwestern and southeastern states.
Participants will simply be asked to visit locations where they have
previously sighted or would expect to encounter Rusty Blackbirds and
submit their observations via e-Bird.  If you are unfamiliar with areas
which may support Rusty Blackbirds in your region, contact the Blitz
coordinator for ideas. 

 

If you don't use eBird regularly, please consider entering all your
observations of Rusty Blackbirds (even outside the Blitz period).  All
observations will be used by researchers currently studying their steep
long-term population decline.

 

The Kentucky Department of Fish and Wildlife Resources encourages
participation in the Rusty Blackbird Hot Spot Blitz.  The Rusty
Blackbird is a Species of Greatest Conservation Need as listed in our
State Wildlife Action Plan and the information gained from this effort
may provide focus to local conservation efforts.  Watch the listserve
for more information or feel free to contact Kate Heyden, the Blitz
coordinator for Kentucky at kathryn.heyden@xxxxxx if you are interested
in participating.

 

 

Additional instructions and information on identification, habitat
preferences, etc., will soon be posted on the Smithsonian Migratory Bird
Center's Rusty Blackbird website:

 

 
http://nationalzoo.si.edu/ConservationAndScience/MigratoryBirds/Research
/Rusty_Blackbird/
<http://nationalzoo.si.edu/ConservationAndScience/MigratoryBirds/Researc
h/Rusty_Blackbird/> 

 

Information and instructions will also be available on Cornell
Laboratory of Ornithology's e-Bird site:

  

http://ebird.org <http://ebird.org/> 

 

 

 

 

 

Kate Heyden

Avian Biologist

Wildlife Diversity Program

KY Department of Fish and Wildlife Resources

#1 Sportsman's Lane

Frankfort, KY  40601

Phone:  (502) 564-7109 ext. 4475

Fax:  (502) 564 4519

kathryn.heyden@xxxxxx <mailto:kathryn.heyden@xxxxxx>  

www.fw.ky.gov <http://www.fw.ky.gov/> 

 

Did you know... Department of Fish and Wildlife receives NO state tax
dollars and manages wildlife for all citizens? 

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