ML633411954

Observation details

Originally submitted as a Brewer’s Blackbird, it was brought to my attention that this was probably a Rusty Blackbird based on bill length. Upon further review and additional photos (added) and review of vocalizations of Rusties from the western population, I agree with the reviewer that this was a Rusty Blackbird. Even though I have extensive experience with the eastern population of Rusty Blackbirds as a researcher with New Hampshire Audubon’s Rusty Blackbird project, the vocalizations that we call “chucks” and “squiggle calls” (sounds like an old tape cassette on fast forward) threw me off as different and led me to believe it a Brewer’s. However, upon review of both calls from Rusties of Alaska, I feel the calls were spot on for the Rusty Blackbird. The chuck was deeper and faster than either Brewer’s or eastern Rusty and I didn’t find any Brewer’s vocalization that sounded that close to the squiggle calls that we heard from this bird at point-blank range (~15m). The bird waited until I whipped out the phone to get a recording before it stopped calling (just like our eastern Rusties, go figure). The photos added show bill length and narrowness as well.