[bsg] Rusty Blackbird Spring Migration Blitz

From: "Ingold, James" <James.Ingold@xxxxxxxx>
To: "bsg@xxxxxxxxxxxxx" <bsg@xxxxxxxxxxxxx>
Date: Thu, 12 Feb 2015 20:49:43 +0000
Have you heard a squeaky-hinge song lately, or seen a flash of rust-tipped 
feathers under a bright yellow eye? Although occasionally overlooked as "just 
another blackbird," Rusty Blackbirds face an unfortunate and remarkable 
notoriety: this species has endured a decline more severe than that of any 
other once-common landbird. In 2014, the International Rusty Blackbird Working 
Group, in partnership with the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, the Vermont 
Center for Ecostudies, eBird, Louisiana State University, and many other state, 
federal, and local partners, launched a three-year Rusty Blackbird Spring 
Migration Blitz that challenged birders to scour the landscape for Rusty 
Blackbirds during this species' northward migration.  Between 1 March and 15 
June, 4750 birders submitted 13,400 checklists containing Rusty Blackbird 
observations to eBird, a hugely successful first season that has allowed us to 
start looking at potential Rusty Blackbird migratory hotspots, habitat use, and 
potential migratory pathways.







We hope you'll consider participating in Year 2 of the Blitz this spring!

It's easy- bird as you normally do during the Blitz window (1 March through

15 June) and submit your data to eBird using the "Rusty Blackbird Spring 
Migration Blitz" observation type.  To help you figure out when Rusties might 
be passing through your area, each region is assigned a set of target dates 
found here (Louisiana's Blitz period is the entire month of March):

http://rustyblackbird.org/outreach/migration-blitz/states-and-dates/  We're 
collecting Blitz data from anywhere within our target states and provinces, but 
this year, we'd also like birders to revisit Areas of Interest identified from 
2014 data to assess the consistency of Rusty Blackbird habitat use and 
migratory timing.  Check out our map of Areas of Interest for 2015 at 
http://rustyblackbird.org/outreach/migration-blitz/2015-areas-of-interest/







To learn more about Rusty Blackbirds and the Blitz effort, please visit our 
Migration Blitz website (http://rustyblackbird.org/outreach/migration-blitz/),

or check out our Blitz Facebook page (

https://www.facebook.com/rustyblackbirdspringblitz).







We hope you'll join us to Blitz for Blackbirds this spring!





Sinead Borchert



Baton Rouge, LA



International Rusty Blackbird Working Group


James L. Ingold, Ph.D.
Professor - Department of Biological Sciences
Director - Museum of Life Sciences
Hubert and Patricia Hervey Endowed Professor - Museum of Life Sciences
Louisiana State University in Shreveport

Office: (318) 797-5236
Fax: (318) 797-5222
james.ingold@xxxxxxxx<mailto:james.ingold@xxxxxxxx>  
www.lsus.edu<http://www.lsus.edu>
[LSUS_Secondary_RGB Purple-Gold_email]
[bsg] Rusty Blackbird Spring Migration Blitz

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