Guest post by Keiller Kyle, Tricolored Blackbird Project Manager

Spring is in the air and over the next two weeks we expect to see Tricolors form into large flocks in preparation for the breeding season.

Your generosity helped the Tricolored Blackbird population get through quite the dry spell in 2012. With the help of  Tricolored Blackbird Conservation Fund donors, we did two things last year that made a big difference. First, we provided 120 acres of critical wetland habitat, which was hugely successful in attracting breeding Tricolors. Second, we compensated some farmers for delaying harvest until young birds in their fields could fledge.

We have helped provide some stopgap stability to the Tricolored Blackbird population, estimated at 260,000. At the same time, we are seeking permanent solutions to keep this species alive and thriving in California.

As spring approaches, we are preparing to go into action. I will soon be introducing myself to farmers to lay the groundwork for partnerships to buy the birds the time they need to mature and fly away from the fields. We will also turn on the water in Kern and Tulare counties, providing much needed wetlands habitat that will draw thousands of Tricolors.

As we move forward, we will share more updates on this species, the last of the great North American flocking birds.