With Halloween on the horizon, I thought I would share an image today of a Rusty Blackbird (Euphagus carolinus) that I spotted on Monday at Occoquan Bay National Wildlife Refuge. The bird’s wide-open pale eyes give it an eerie look that fits in well with other Halloween icons like black cats, witches, and skeletons.
According to the Cornell Lab of Ornithology website, “Rusty Blackbird is one of North America’s most rapidly declining species. The population has plunged an estimated 85-99 percent over the past forty years and scientists are completely puzzled as to what is the cause.” Needless to say, I was thrilled to see this Rusty Blackbird that appeared to part of a small flock high in the trees.
© Michael Q. Powell. All rights reserved.
Mike Powell 
I wonder if I might have seen this species and confused it with another. I saw by the map that it’s listed for our area, so I’ll have to look more closely at the ‘black birds’ that I see.
Grackles have similarly pale eyes, but are more lanky that Rusty Blackbirds and often appear shiny and iridescent.
Nice, Mike! I’ve never seen this species before! 👏 Good for you! Your blog and photos are so wonderful to see everyday in this awful turmoil in our country and worldwide. Thank you.
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It’s eyes are realy strange. So hard to read that this species will not be here anymore in a few years….
It is hard to know if the population slide will level off–I hope they are around for a good long time.
Yes, they are intense!
They do have a piercing glare! William
Wow, those numbers are alarming. You’ve captured a beautiful rarity!
If I was close up to that eye it would definitely freak me out, such a great picture!!
Thanks, Lisa. I would have loved to get more of a close-up of the bird (and its eye), but was content that I was able to capture any kind of recognizable image.