IBRC 3-B-10

IDAHO BIRD RECORDS COMMITTEE
RARE BIRD REPORT FORM

SPECIES: Rusty Blackbird
HOW MANY: 1

REPORTER: Robert Mortensen 18218 N. Highfield Way Boise, ID 83714 (208) 608-5186
REPORTER EMAIL: robert.mortensen@suncorid.com
OTHER OBSERVERS: Robert Mortensen found the bird and was a accompanied by Shon Parks, not a birder, but avid outdoors enthusiast. Shon Parks is also a resident of Avimor.

DATE REPORT PREPARED: 01/10/2010
DATE SIGHTING OCCURRED: 01/08/2010 & 01/10/2010

LOCALITY OF OBSERVATION: Avimor - Chinese Well Riparian Area, Ada County, Hwy 55 just on the Ada County border. 43.786362,-116.264759
HABITAT: riparian area with recent ag use, running water, marshy, cottonwoods, willows, locust trees
CONDITIONS: for about 1/2 hr at both observations. Snow on the ground, sunny, not much wind, temps in the mid-40's, viewed within 20 feet, sun behind me, Eagle Optics 8x42 binoculars, Celestron spotting scope, digital camera for photos.

DID YOU TAKE NOTES?: Yes, during the observation
DID YOU CONSULT FIELD GUIDE OR OTHER REFERENCES?: Yes, later the same day
WHAT GUIDE(S) OR REFERENCE(S) DID YOU CONSULT?: Sibley's of Western NA, Nat-Geo 4th ed, Peterson's 2008 edition.

DESCRIPTION: Blackbird - yellow eye, lighter supercillium, darker wings and rump, lots of rusty tertial edges on wings, blackish mask, tail length right for blackbirds.
BEHAVIOR: Dark-eyed Juncos nearby, but it seemed to be independent. It appeared to eat insects from the tree and may have even been caching items in the bark. I watched it preen. It would spook by our presence and flight off about 20 to 50 yards.

HOW AND WHEN DID YOU POSITIVELY IDENTIFY THE BIRD, AND WHAT CLINCHED THE IDENTIFICATION FOR YOU? 1/10/2010 - after taking photos and comparing them in the field guides, the rusty tertials, the yellow eye, and overall body color lead to the identification.
HOW DID YOU ELIMINATE SIMILAR SPECIES, AND WHAT WERE THEY? Brewer's Blackbird was the most likely bird it could have been, but a Brewer's with this coloration would likely be a female, but Brewer females do not have the light iris. It was too small and too short of tail to be a grackle.

EXPERIENCE WITH THIS SPECIES (AND SIMILAR SPECIES): I am very familiar with Brewer's , Great-tailed Grackles, Red-wings, and Yellow-headed Blackbirds. I have never previously seen a Rusty Blackbird.
GENERAL BIRDING EXPERIENCE: I have been birding for 5.5 years. I bird daily and avidly, but still consider myself an amateur. I do feel proficient in making notes of field marks.

WERE PHOTO(S), VIDEO, AND/OR AUDIO OBTAINED BY YOU?: Photo

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