The Tricolored Blackbird is North America's most colonial landbird. Found almost exclusively in California, its breeding colonies can teem with up to 25,000 birds, sometimes all settled into a single 10-acre field or wetland to raise their young. While similar to the more widespread Red-winged Blackbird, the Tricolored Blackbird is distinguished by its red shoulder patch with a bright white bar.
In the 19th Century, Tricolored Blackbird flocks were described as numerous. Since then, the population has declined from several million to approximately 145,000 today. Over just the last 6 years, the Tricolored Blackbird population has decreased by 44%.
The reasons for this decline are many, but the loss of marsh and nearby foraging habitats along the coast and in the Central Valley is the main issue. In more recent years, the species has become dependent on agricultural lands, with most of the largest colonies nesting in wheat fields. A real dilemma develops because Tricolored young typically have not yet left the nest before the time farmers harvest their crop, and harvesting destroys Tricolored Blackbird nests and young. In some cases as many as 20,000 nests have been lost in a single field.
Each year, they gather in highly social colonies for breeding throughout the San Joaquin Valley, Sacramento Valley, Sierra Foothills, Central Coast, and Southern California. With Tricolored Blackbirds recently listed under California's Endangered Species Act, recovery of this species is more critical than ever.
Audubon California's Xerónimo Castañeda shows us a great Tricolored Blackbird colony in the Central Valley.
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177,000 Tricolored Blackbirds Saved in 2020!
In the sixth year of the Audubon Summer Conservation Program, we worked closely with dairy producers to protect 100% of the known 15 Tricolored Blackbird colonies on agricultural fields across four counties.
How Private Landowners Can Save Tricolored Blackbirds
Farms and ranches will play a critical role in conserving Tricolored Blackbirds across the Central Valley.
Farmers Play Key Role in Protecting Tricolored Blackbirds
Watch this video by Audubon's partner Dairy Cares in the Central Valley
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This spring, 90% of colonies thrived in the Central Valley
Collaborative Conservation
We work closely with landowners and partners in the Tricolored Blackbird Working Group to protect the Tricolored Blackbird across California.
Latest News
Thousands of Tricolored Blackbird nests at risk on dairy farms right now
We just received word from the field from Samantha Arthur that our staff has identified about 35,000 to 45,000 Tricolored Blackbird nesting on dairy farms in Kern, Tulare, and Merced counties. Those numbers are likely to change a little as the nesting season continues, but it's important to understand that each and every one of these nests is in danger of being destroyed unless we're able to strike agreements with farmers to delay harvest until the chicks have fledged. Thankfully, we're better prepared for this possibility than ever before. We're working closely with the dairy industry and government agencies to identify nesting colonies and get them protected.
This work is difficult and is more important now than ever. Tricolored Blackbirds are in a steep decline, so every colony is vital to the survival of the species. The California Fish & Game Commission recently made it a candidate for listing under the state Endangered Species Act. Learn more about the species here.
Please consider making a donation to our Tricolored Blackbird campaign. Every dollar of your contribution goes into preserving a future for this important California bird.
More than 35,000 Tricolored Blackbirds found nesting in dairy fields, so far
Just got a message from Samantha Arthurs, who runs Audubon California's Tricolored Blackbird conservation efforts, that she and others have identified "35,000 to 45,000 Tricolors nesting on dairies right now in Kern, Tulare, and Merced counties." These nests are at risk of destruction if we're not able to work with our partners in the dairy industry and federal agencies to protect them. Learn more about our program and, if you can, make a donation to our Tricolored Blackbird campaign. This is a file photo -- we hope to have photos from the field today.
Tricolored Blackbird forage reaches new heights in Merced National Wildlife Refuge
Ian Souza-Cole, Audubon California's new field technician, standing in the forage field at Merced National Wildlife Refuge to show the height of the forage blend that was planted for Tricolored Blackbirds. This growth is a major improvement from last year and we hope it will attract nesting Tricolored Blackbirds.
Thought we'd make a GIF of a Tricolored Blackbird colony. Just because.
Feds announce that they will consider the Tricolored Blackbird for ESA protection
The U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service today announced that the Tricolored Blackbird is one of several species that it will formally consider for protection under the Endangered Species Act. Surveys last year indicate that the number of nearly-endemic species have dropped as much as 44 percent since 2011. The announcement from the Service begins a 60-day comment period, which will be followed by more in-depth consideration of the petition.
The Center for Biological Diversity filed the petition to list the Tricolored Blackbird in February.
The decision to move the federal listing process forward tracks with a similar move at the state level. In June, the California Fish and Game Commission voted against advancing a petition to list the Tricolored Blackbird under the California Endangered Species Act. That petition was also filed by the Center for Biological Diversity, and Audubon California supported it in writing, through public testimony, and through its network of supporters.
Following the Fish and Game Commission decision, both the Center for Biological Diversity and Audubon California called for reconsideration, due to a number of issues with the process through which the body made its decision. The Center for Biological Diversity subsequently refiled its petition.
For the last several years, Audubon California has worked aggressively to protect Tricolored Blackbird nesting colonies in the Central Valley. In January, at the urging of Audubon California and other partners, the Natural Resources Conservation Service issued a $1.1 million grant to support a partnership including Audubon California, the dairy industry, and federal agencies to support Tricolored Blackbird conservation.
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Survival by Degrees: 389 Species on the Brink
Audubon science finds that two-thirds of North American birds are at risk of extinction from climate change.