Interest in the declining number of Tricolored Blackbirds isn't new; in fact in the 1930's Johnson A. Neff conducted the first complete population study. Neff was a Sacramento based scientist who organized his study in response to controversy over the government's failure to respond to the public's outcry over "widespread reductions in abundance." Over five years, Nest discovered 252 breeding colonies in 26 California counties. He also found that the rice-growing regions of the Central Valley hosted the largest Tricolored Blackbird colonies. Neff found this so compelling that he later published a book about blackbirds in the rice fields of Arkansas.

In 1975,  Richard W. DeHaven of the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service conducted a follow-up population study. He looked at the same regions that Neff did. His findings showed an additional 50% drop in the blackbirds' population. Several decades went by without much effort devoted to following the Tricolored Blackbird or its habitat until 1994 when Audubon California joined with U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service and the California Department of Fish and Game to conduct surveys every couple of years.

These 1990's surveys highlighted some major trends: 60% of all birds were found in the 10 largest colonies, that 70% of all nests and 80% of all foraging by nesting birds were on private agricultural lands, and that in some areas of the Central Valley the Tricolored Blackbird ceased to exist. The study preceded the first crop-buyouts. The program was a great success and, obviously, the program continues to this day.

Learn more about Audubon California's involvement in saving this species of special concern...

(Photo by Robert Meese)

Citations

DeHaven R. W., F. T. Crase, and P. P. Woronecki. 1975a. Breeding status of the tricolored blackbird, 1969–1972. California Department      of Fish and Game 61:166-180.

East Contra Costa County HCP/NCCP http://www.co.contra-costa.ca.us/depart/cd/water/hcp/archive/final- hcp/pdfs/apps/AppD/03a_triblackbird_9-28-06_profile.pdf

Neff, J. A. 1937. Nesting distribution of the tricolored red-wing. Condor. 39:61–81.