Rusty Blackbirds can be found in Ohio during winter and migration.

Rusties are blackbirds of swampy and wet woodlands, but may often be found
with large mixed-blackbird flocks in agricultural and other areas, even
urban areas.

Rusties often segregate, perching together at the margins of large mixed
flocks. They often segregate while foraging, too.

They are wooded wetland specialists (less elasticity in foraging behavior
compared with other blackbirds). Search anywhere you find amphibians
breeding. The vernal pools used by salamanders (they are now migrating to
pools with each nightime rainfall) are favored habit of Rusty Blackbirds.
Small flooded woodlots in agricultural areas are a good (often overlooked)
place to search.

Rusty Blackbirds strut along the feathered edge of shallow wetlands and into
shallow pools nearly to their bellies, flipping soggy leaves and debris
searching for soggy mast and invertebrates (even vetebrates as large as
themselves, including birds, during challenging winter weather). They will
dip their whole head into the water to get at debris.

Males begin practicing song in early February (Chris Knoll reported one
singing earlier today at Black Swamp Observatory). Listen for their squeeky
"rusty hinge" sounds, more irratic-squeeky and higher-pitched than grackles
with interspersed "check" sounds.

Look for them through the 17th of February, and report your effort at eBird
even if you did not find them!

More information here: http://ebird.org/content/ebird/

Tom Bain
Ohio Coordinator, Rusty Blackbird Hotspot Blitz

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