Euphagus cyanocephalus

Brewer’s Blackbirds (Euphagus cyanocephalus) are very common in open country of western North America , including human-built habitats such as parking lots, where they can be seen walking on the ground making jerking movements with their heads. Their breeding range expanded eastward in the Great Lakes region during the 20th century. In the winter, Brewer’s Blackbirds spread eastward through the southeastern United States and south to southern Mexico. These blackbirds feed mainly on insects and seeds, with some berries, usually foraging in flocks outside the breeding season. Nesting is often in loose colonies of up to 20 to 30 pairs. (Kaufman 1996; AOU 1998)

Global Range: BREEDS: central interior British Columbia to western Great Lakes area, south to northwestern Baja California, southern Nevada, western and northern Texas, northern Iowa. WINTERS: southern British Columbia and central Alberta, eastern Montana, Kansas, Arkansas, western South Carolina south to Oaxaca and central Veracruz, southern Texas, Gulf coast, southern Florida.

W Canada and w US; > to s Mexico.

occurs (regularly, as a native taxon) in multiple nations

Canada

Origin: Native

Regularity: Regularly occurring

Currently: Present

Confidence: Confident

Type of Residency: Breeding

United States

Origin: Native

Regularity: Regularly occurring

Currently: Present

Confidence: Confident

Type of Residency: Year-round

Length: 23 cm

Weight: 67 grams

Systems

• Terrestrial
• Marine

Comments: Shrubby and bushy areas (especially near water), riparian woodland, aspen parklands, cultivated lands, marshes, and around human habitation; in migration and winter also in pastures and fields (AOU 1983). Nests in bushes and trees or on the ground, near open water, in marshes, fields, and urban areas.

Non-Migrant: No. All populations of this species make significant seasonal migrations.

Locally Migrant: Yes. At least some populations of this species make local extended movements (generally less than 200 km) at particular times of the year (e.g., to breeding or wintering grounds, to hibernation sites).

Locally Migrant: Yes. At least some populations of this species make annual migrations of over 200 km.

Northern interior breeding populations are long-distance migrants; migrations mountainous west may be more localized.

Comments: Feeds on insects, seeds, waste grain, and fruit. Walks on the ground while foraging, sometimes follows plows to eat uncovered insects.

Often seen in large flocks; may forage with other blackbirds. In California, individuals were found up to 10 kilometers from nest in breeding season (Williams 1952); in Washington, found up to 1.6 kilometers from nest, although most foraged much closer (Horn 1968).

Maximum longevity: 12.5 years (wild)

Clutch size is 3-7 (usually 5-6). Incubation lasts 12-14 days (Terres 1980). Young are tended by both adults, fly 13-14 days after hatching. Sometimes two broods are produced in one season. Males may be polygamous. Nests in loose colonies (3-20 pairs).

The following is a representative barcode sequence, the centroid of all available sequences for this species.

There are 7 barcode sequences available from BOLD and GenBank.  Below is a sequence of the barcode region Cytochrome oxidase subunit 1 (COI or COX1) from a member of the species.  See the BOLD taxonomy browser for more complete information about this specimen and other sequences.

Download FASTA File

Barcode of Life Data Systems (BOLDS) Stats
Public Records: 7
Specimens with Barcodes: 9
Species With Barcodes: 1

Year Assessed

Assessor/s

Reviewer/s

Contributor/s

Justification

History

• 2008
  Least Concern
• 2004
  Least Concern

Canada

Rounded National Status Rank: N5B - Secure

United States

Rounded National Status Rank: N5B,N5N : N5B: Secure - Breeding, N5N: Secure - Nonbreeding

Rounded Global Status Rank: G5 - Secure