rusty blackbird

noun

1. a North American blackbird, Euphagus carolinus, the male of which has plumage that is uniformly bluish-black in the spring and rusty-edged in the fall.

Word History and Origins

Origin of rusty blackbird¹

An Americanism dating back to 1850–55

Example Sentences

Designated a National Wildlife Area in 2022, it's home to a diverse mix of northern wildlife, including woodland caribou, peregrine falcons, wood bison, wolverines and rusty blackbirds, according to Canadian government data.

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In a 2012 study, scientists concluded that climate change had likely contributed to the decline of the once-common rusty blackbird, which has seen its range in Maine retract northward as temperatures have risen.

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The new study found dangerously high levels of mercury in several Northeastern bird species, including rusty blackbirds, saltmarsh sparrows and wood thrushes.

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Cardinals, juncos, jays, nuthatches, tufted titmice and rusty blackbirds — the blackbirds were unusual here, possibly driven astray by storms — also arrived for treats, though none came as close.

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Tommy picking up the cat and stroking its fur mechanically, while he stared out through the kitchen window at rusty blackbirds on the wing ...

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