Tricolored Blackbird Survey in Alameda County

Volunteers are needed for a survey

on April 26th and 27th.

April 26 and 27 are the dates set for a survey of Tricolored Blackbirds that look like Red-winged Blackbirds, but are not. Ninety five percent of Tricolored Blackbirds are located in California. Last year’s nesting season was a widespread failure. Hoping that it was a temporary setback, Audubon California is checking this year’s flocks. Volunteers will go to locations known to host the Tricolored Blackbirds and estimate their numbers. Your help is desired.

Please contact Rich Cimino at rscimino@earthlink.net for information, survey criteria, and procedures—DE

 

 

 

About Tricolored Blackbirds
According to the Point Reyes Bird Observatory, "Tricolored Blackbirds are at as high a risk as any of the narrowly endemic North American bird species and are far greater risk than Swainson's Hawks, Burrowing Owls and other relatively widely distributed California species. But because they are a flocking species, and are in some places abundant, they do not command management attention and funding". "A census as extensive and intensive as those conducted in 1994, 1997 and 2000 needs to be repeated. The details of how those censuses were conducted are contained in the respective reports for those years and in Beedy and Hamilton (1997). Since many kinds of colonies fail entirely, it is necessary to monitor reproductive success at a representative sample of colonies". For more information on Tricolored Blackbirds visit the PRBO web site page: http://www.prbo.org/calpif/htmldocs/species/riparian/tricolored_blackbird.htm
The Center for Biological Diversity has petitioned our federal government to protect the Tricolored Blackbird. In April 2004, the Center submitted a petition requesting immediate action to prohibit or delay harvesting and plowing activities on private lands used by Tricolors during the nesting season. The Center also pointed out that these activities are in clear violation of the federal Migratory Bird Treaty Act and California’s Unfair Competition Law and are responsible for the current precipitous decline of the species. Both the California Fish and Game Commission and the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service neglected to list the Tricolor on an emergency basis, but agreed to review the listing petition on a regular timeline. The Center will continue to push for endangered species status for the Tricolor, and is deeply committed to saving this unique California treasure from the same tragic fate as the Passenger Pigeon. For more information on the Tricolored and the petition go to the following link. http://www.biologicaldiversity.org/swcbd/SPECIES/TRICOLORED/index.html
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