Rusty blackbird (Euphagus carolinus) COSEWIC assessment and status report: chapter 10

Existing Protection or Other Status Designations

The Rusty Blackbird receives no protection under the Migratory Birds Convention Act in Canada, but is protected under the U.S. Migratory Bird Treaty Act.  Blackbirds are, however, considered pests in some circumstances and may be killed if they cause damage to human property (Northern Prairie Wildlife Research Center 2004).

Because the Rusty Blackbird is not considered to be at risk in most Canadian provinces, its population is not monitored by conservation data centres or natural heritage centres (M. Donovan pers. comm.).  The species has a global rank of G4, i.e., apparently secure (NatureServe 2004; Table 3).  The national ranks for Canada and the U.S. are secure.  In Canadian provinces, the Rusty Blackbird is generally designated as being secure (Table 3), although some of the Atlantic provinces list the species as vulnerable (NatureServe 2004; Table 3). General status assessments published in 2000 considered the Rusty Blackbird Sensitive in the Northwest Territories, Prince Edward Island and Newfoundland and secure in all other provinces and territories, except Nunuvut, where its status was undermined (Canadian Endangered Species Conservation Council 2001).

Table 3.Status ranks of the Rusty Blackbird in North America according to NatureServe (2004).
Province/territory/state Rank Definition
World rank G4 Apparently secure
Canada N5B Secure, breeding
United States N5B, N5N Secure, breeding and nonbreeding
Yukon SNRB No designation, breeding
Nunavut SNRB No designation, breeding
Northwest Territories SNRB No designation, breeding
British Columbia S5B Secure, breeding
Alberta S5B, S1N Secure, breeding; vulnerable - nonbreeding
Saskatchewan S5B Secure, breeding
Manitoba S4S5B Apparently secure - Secure, breeding
Ontario S5B Secure, breeding
Québec S5 Secure
New Brunswick S4B Apparently secure
Nova Scotia S3S4B Vulnerable to apparently secure, breeding
Prince Edward Island S3B Vulnerable, breeding
Newfoundland S3B Vulnerable, breeding
Alaska S4B Apparently secure
Michigan SNRN No designation, nonbreeding
Minnesota SNRB No designation, nonbreeding
Maine S3N Vulnerable, nonbreeding
New Hampshire S2 Imperiled
Vermont S3B Vulnerable, breeding
New York S3 Vulnerable

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