​The Rusty Blackbird has experienced a population decline of more than 85% since the 1970s. The species nests in stunted or regenerating spruce-fir stands in or near shallow wetlands in northern and western Maine. Though Rusty Blackbirds are known to nest in commercially managed forests, their usage of intensively managed planted stands has not been explored. Our primary objective is to evaluate the effects on Rusty Blackbird nest site selection and nest survival based on a range of silvicultural practices, from untreated, naturally regenerated stands to pre-commercially thinned and unthinned planted stands. Our goal is to use this new information to provide guidance for private, commercial forest landowners managing lands with potential Rusty Blackbird breeding habitat.  

Research Partners Include:
Audubon Society of New Hampshire
Maine Department of Inland Fisheries & Wildlife
University of Maine Presque Isle
University of Maine Fort Kent
Weyerhaeuser
​Wagner Forest Management
Seven Islands Land Company
JD Irving, Ltd.

Funding and other support provided by:
Maine Agricultural and Forest Experiment Station
Maine Cooperative Forestry Research Unit
Maine Research Reinvestment Fund
Audubon Society of New Hampshire
William P. Wharton Trust
2019 Inez Boyd Environmental Research Award, ​Penobscot Valley Chapter of Maine Audubon
Sigma Xi
Maine Outdoor Heritage Fund, in which proceeds from the sale of a dedicated instant lottery ticket currently Big Bucks are used to support outdoor recreation and natural resource conservation. For more information about MOHF, go to 
www.maine.gov/ifw/mohf