Special Section: Rangewide Ecology of the Declining Rusty Blackbird Rusty Blackbird: Mysteries of a Species in Decline

The condor

Russell Greenberg¹ 

关键词: boreal wetlands;    breeding ecology;    Euphagus carolinus;    range-wide conservation;    Rusty Blackbird;    winter ecology;    wooded wetlands;   

DOI  :  10.1525/cond.2010.100153

学科分类：动物科学

来源: Central Ornithology Publication Office

【 摘 要 】

Abstract. The Rusty Blackbird (Euphagus carolinus) breeds across the boreal forest zone of North America and winters throughout the eastern United States. Over the past four decades, the North American Breeding Bird Survey and the Christmas Bird Count have shown high rates of population decline ranging from approximately 5 to 12% per year. Regional surveys suggest declines and range retractions in the southern boreal zone. Analyses of historical accounts suggest that the Rusty Blackbird's abundance has been dropping steadily for over a century. A number of hypotheses have been proposed to explain the decline. The species relies on wooded wetlands throughout the year, so loss and degradation of these habitats—particularly in the winter range—is a prime suspect. Blackbird-control programs may have contributed. In recent decades, habitat disturbance, global warming, and environmental contamination in the boreal zone may have taken their toll on breeding populations. In 2005, the International Rusty Blackbird...

【 授权许可】

CC BY