Assessing the Status of Declining Rusty Blackbirds on DoD Lands in Alaska
Abstract
The Rusty Blackbird (Euphagus carolinus) has suffered one of the steepest declines of any bird species in North America and has been extirpated from southern boreal areas where it was once common (Greenberg and Droege 1999, Greenberg 2008, Greenberg et al. in press). The International Rusty Blackbird Technical Group which includes representatives from federal (including DoD), university, and non-governmental agencies in the U.S. and Canada was formed to increase awareness of the species plight and implement a strategy to recover populations (Greenberg 2008). The group has emphasized the need to identify demographic limitations, important habitats, and key geographic areas for the species throughout its annual cycle (Greenberg et al. in press). Such information in lacking but would help identify the mechanisms driving the decline, direct conservation towards appropriate life stages and important areas, and ultimately reverse the decline before more costly recovery efforts will be needed. In 2007 and 2008, the DoD Legacy Program funded our study which assessed the habitat requirements, reproductive success, and factors limiting Rusty Blackbirds breeding on military lands in Alaska. This has been the most comprehensive breeding study on the species and has clearly highlighted the importance of military lands in Alaska to breeding Rusty Blackbirds (Matsuoka et al. 2008, 2009).
Document Details
- Document Type
- Technical Report
- Publication Date
- Mar 01, 2010
- Accession Number
- ADA548238
Entities
People
- David F. Tessler
- David Shaw
- James A. Johnson
- Steven M. Matsuoka
Organizations
- United States Fish and Wildlife Service