Rusty Blackbird | Euphagus carolinus | Quiscale rouilleux

            Rusty Blackbirds have really long legs! Who knew? Usually I see them foraging in thick cover, or perched in trees, and this feature is not readily apparent. 

I took the photograph yesterday morning at dawn, with “blue hour” conditions still prevailing at my backyard feeder set up. Within minutes the sun hit the scene and I secured several glowing golden images of this special bird, but I decided to post this more unconventional one. Mostly I wait for birds to stop moving then click the shutter, which makes for nice but rather pedestrian full-frame portraits. This one is definitely out of my comfort zone.

Rusty Blackbird is listed as Vulnerable on the International Union for Conservation of Nature's Red List of Threatened Species. Its population has fallen by approximately 90% in the last 50 years and here in Ontario the government has assessed it as a “Species of Special Concern" and a “Species at Risk". The conversion of wetland forests in its wintering habitat in the United States for residential development and agriculture is the main cause of this collapse, along with blackbird control programs and mortality from pesticides. In Ontario the negative impacts of climate change and industrial level clear-cutting are destroying its breeding habitat in the Boreal Forest.

Taken in: Canada / Ontario / South Bay (show map)

Taken on: December 29, 2022

Tags:

Long Point

Prince Edward County

Canada

Rusty Blackbird

Quiscale rouilleux

Euphagus carolinus

Bird

Nature

Wildlife

Feeder

Canon EOS 90D

EF600mm f/4L IS III USM

Species of Special Concern

Species at Risk

IUCN

Red List

Blue Hour « less

Sets appears in: • Prince Edward County

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Camera: Canon EOS 90D, f/4.0, 1/3200 sec, 600mm, ISO 1600 (more info) (hide info)

Camera:	Canon EOS 90D
Lens:	EF600mm f/4L IS III USM
Aperture:	f/4.0
Exposure Time:	1/3200 sec
Focal Length:	600mm
ISO:	1600
Exposure Bias:	+1 EV
Flash:	No Flash
Exposure Program:	Aperture-priority AE
Exposure Mode:	Auto
Metering Mode:	Multi-segment
White Balance:	Auto
Color Space:	sRGB
Software:	Adobe Photoshop Lightroom Classic 12.1 (Macintosh)
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