Rusty Blackbird Similar Species Comparison
Main SpeciesRusty Blackbird
Breeding male
Medium-sized blackbird with a slender, slightly curved bill. Breeding males are dark glossy black with a greenish sheen.
© Daniel Jauvin / Macaulay LibraryQuebec, May 12, 2017Female
Medium-sized blackbird with a slender, slightly curved bill. Females are brownish to rusty colored with pale eyes, and a pale eyebrow that contrasts with darker feathers around the eye.
© John Sutton / Macaulay LibraryVermont, October 30, 2016Breeding male
Song consists of two or three notes, followed by a higher, rising note, like the creak of rusty hinges.
© Benjamin Clock / Macaulay LibraryAlaska, May 27, 2009Not all videos have sound
Nonbreeding male
Nonbreeding males are dark brown overall with rusty edging on the feathers, a pale eye, and a pale eyebrow.
© Brian Sullivan / Macaulay LibraryCalifornia, October 28, 2013Nonbreeding male
Some nonbreeding males have more extensive rusty tipped feathers than others.
© Nathan Stouffer / Macaulay LibraryMichigan, January 16, 2016Breeding male
Medium-sized blackbird with a slender, slightly curved bill. Breeding males are dark glossy black with a greenish sheen.
© Michelle Martin / Macaulay LibraryOntario, April 25, 2015Habitat
Found in wet areas, including flooded woods, swamps, marshes, and the edges of ponds.
© Tim Lenz / Macaulay LibraryNew York, October 27, 2013Similar SpeciesBrewer's Blackbird
Adult male
The breeding male Brewer's Blackbird is glossier, with a stronger purplish cast on the head and breast not seen on the Rusty Blackbird. In fall and winter, male Brewer's show less rusty feather edging than the Rusty Blackbird.
© Mark Ludwick / Macaulay LibraryOregon, January 15, 2017Similar SpeciesBrewer's Blackbird
Female
Female Brewer's Blackbirds have dark eyes and are brownish gray rather than rusty brown like Rusty Blackbirds. Beware, female Brewer's occasionally have pale eyes.
© Jeff Bleam / Macaulay LibraryCalifornia, May 19, 2017Similar SpeciesCommon Grackle
Adult male
Common Grackles are larger overall with a thicker bill and a longer, wedge-shaped tail than Rusty Blackbirds, which have a square-tipped tail and are more slender overall.
© T I / Macaulay LibraryIllinois, March 26, 2017Similar SpeciesCommon Grackle
Female
Common Grackles are larger with a longer wedge-shaped tail unlike the shorter square-tipped tail of Rusty Blackbirds. Females are dark brown overall and lack the rusty color of female Rusty Blackbirds.
© Simon Boivin / Macaulay LibraryQuebec, August 08, 2017Similar SpeciesRed-winged Blackbird
Breeding male (Red-winged)
Red-winged Blackbirds are more compact that Rusty Blackbirds. They also have dark eyes, shorter and stouter bills, and shorter tails.
© Phil Kahler / Macaulay LibraryOregon, May 13, 2017Similar SpeciesRed-winged Blackbird
Female (Red-winged)
Red-winged Blackbirds are smaller and more compact than Rusty Blackbirds. Females are heavily streaked overall unlike female Rusty Blackbirds, which are mostly unstreaked with rusty feather edges.
© David Trescak / Macaulay LibraryQuebec, March 05, 2017Similar SpeciesBrown-headed Cowbird
Adult male
Brown-headed Cowbird are more compact than Rusty Blackbirds with dark eyes, shorter and stouter bills, and shorter tails.
© Brian Sullivan / Macaulay LibraryCalifornia, March 17, 2008Rotate Your Device to Better Compare
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Species in This Family
Troupials and Allies(Order: Passeriformes, Family: Icteridae)
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