The Brewer’s Blackbird (Euphagus cyanocephalus) is a medium-sized songbird found across much of North America. Here are some interesting facts about this common backyard bird:
Identification
Brewer’s Blackbirds are stocky blackbirds with a glossy black body, long pointed bill, and yellow or white eye. Adult males have a purple-blue iridescent sheen on their body and a bright yellow eye, while females are more muted gray-brown with a dark eye.
In flight, the white undertail coverts are visible. Juveniles resemble adult females but are more brownish overall. Their calls are sharp, nasal chits, checks, and chirps.
Range and Habitat
Brewer’s Blackbirds range across much of North America. They can be found from southern Canada throughout the western half of the United States, and into northern Mexico. These birds are absent from the southeastern states.
They occupy a variety of open habitats including meadows, agricultural fields, parks, gardens, roadsides, and wetlands. Brewer’s Blackbirds are adaptable and also readily inhabit human-altered environments.
Migration
Brewer’s Blackbirds are partially migratory. Northern populations migrate south for the winter, while southern populations may be permanent residents. Migrants often form large flocks that can number in the thousands.
Spring migration occurs February to mid-May, with males arriving at the breeding grounds first. Fall migration is from August to November. These blackbirds winter south of Canada into the southern U.S. states and Mexico.
Diet
The diet of Brewer’s Blackbirds is varied depending on season and habitat. They are omnivorous, eating both plant and animal material. Common foods include:
- Insects – beetles, grasshoppers, caterpillars, ants, bees, wasps
- Seeds – grains, weeds, grasses
- Berries – elderberries, blackberries, serviceberries
- Nectar from flowers
- Grains from agricultural fields
- Small aquatic creatures like mollusks and crustaceans in wetlands
- Rodents, lizards, eggs – occasionally
- Scraps from human sources like bird feeders
Brewer’s Blackbirds forage on the ground or in vegetation. They hunt visually for insects or probe the ground and flip over objects looking for prey. These birds are attracted to pest outbreaks and can help control insect populations.
Nesting
The breeding season for Brewer’s Blackbirds runs from mid-March to early August, with timing varying across their range. They are monogamous and solitary nesters, with each pair having its own territory.
Nests are open cup shapes built 2-80 feet above ground in a shrub, tree or human structure. They are constructed from twigs, grass, bark strips, plant fibers, and lined with finer materials. The female builds the nest and incubates the eggs.
Clutch size is typically 3-5 eggs that are pale blue-green with brown spots. Incubation lasts 12-14 days. Nestlings fledge from the nest at 10-15 days old. Brewer’s Blackbirds may raise 2-3 broods per season.
Conservation Status
With an extensive range and large population size, the Brewer’s Blackbird is evaluated as a species of Least Concern on the IUCN Red List. Partners in Flight estimates a global breeding population of 110 million, with 97% spending some part of the year in the U.S.
Overall populations are decreasing, likely due to declines in insect populations from pesticide use. However, these adaptable blackbirds remain widespread and common across North America.
Fun Facts
- Male Brewer’s Blackbirds display for females by puffing up feathers, bowing, and spreading wings and tail.
- These birds often nest colonially with other blackbirds like Red-winged Blackbirds and Common Grackles.
- Groups roosting overnight in dense vegetation may number over 100,000 birds.
- Brewer’s Blackbirds are considered one of the most intelligent songbirds.
- Their songs include a variety of clicks, squeals, and whistles, with regional dialects.
- They feed cooperatively in flocks and will recruit others with special calls made upon finding food.
- Nomadic flocks wander outside the breeding season seeking abundant food sources.
- They were named by John James Audubon after the ornithologist Thomas Mayo Brewer.
- Brewer’s Blackbirds often nest near American Bison out west to feed on insects flushed by the mammals.
- They are sometimes considered agricultural pests as they will flock to ripe fruit crops and grain fields.
Comparison to Similar Species
Brewer’s Blackbirds can be confused with other mostly black birds. Here is how to identify some similar species:
Species | Identification |
---|---|
Common Grackle | Larger with longer tail and bill, glossy iridescence |
Red-winged Blackbird | Male has red shoulder patches, smaller bill |
European Starling | Stockier with short tail, yellow bill, spots in winter |
Yellow-headed Blackbird | Male has striking yellow head and breast |
Where to See Brewer’s Blackbirds
Some great locations to spot Brewer’s Blackbirds include:
- Backyards and farms with open grassy areas from southern Canada to Mexico
- Riparian habitats near streams, marshes, and wetlands
- Parks, fields, and meadows
- Roadsides, ditches, vacant lots
- Range lands out west near livestock and bison herds
- Fruit orchards when ripe fruit is available
- Bird feeders for sunflower seeds, corn, millet
- Roosts numbering thousands of birds in winter
Some top birding hotspots include Bosque del Apache NWR in New Mexico, Ridgefield NWR in Washington, and Cheyenne Bottoms Wildlife Area in Kansas.
Conclusion
The Brewer’s Blackbird is a widespread and adaptable bird across the western half of North America. They have a varied diet from insects to grains and readily visit backyard bird feeders. Look for these gregarious blackbirds forming huge flocks, displaying interesting vocalizations, and exhibiting intelligent behaviors. Observing the striking breeding plumage of the males and learning some key identification points will help birders appreciate this common species.