The Loss of the Tricolored Blackbird is a Loss for Everyone
The ecological value of the Tricolored Blackbird goes far beyond supporting California's native ecosystems. Many people underestimate the importance of this two-ounce bird (Animal Diversity Web, 2011, Agelaius tricolor Tricolored Blackbird). Without this species, insect populations will run rampid and ecosystems will collapse. Ecosystem services like spreading seeds through excrement and eating insects would no longer occur. Biodiversity and stability would be lost. These ecological services also play into their intrinsic value. Shocking statistics reveal that without these birds, the economy will suffer. 5-20% of major grain crops are lost due to insect outbreaks (Science, 2018, Increase in Crop Losses to Insect Pests in a Warming Climate). With the help of the Tricolored Blackbirds, higher crop yields will be achieved because this species eats the insects that farmers battle. If the Tricolored Blackbird goes extinct, not only will humans be affected by grain crop loss, but night-herons, ibis, coyotes, and raccoons will go hungry. The loss of this species would not only affect the bequest value of their ecosystem but would also impact your wallet...
Locally, from an economic standpoint, the loss of this species would impact the Bay Area’s economy. The blackbird helps crops by eating harmful pest insects. This means farmers can supply more produce to consumers so the prices of products will decrease (Fernandez, 2011). The Tricolored Blackbird will save you money because higher crop yields are achieved with the help of this bird.
Climate change also plays a key role in the agricultural industry and crop success. Just a two-degree rise in the global average temperature will result in a 213-ton loss of produce from the top three grain products (wheat, rice, corn) (ScienceX, 2018). This is because rising temperatures increase insect metabolism which causes insects to consume more. Each year, the Bay Area agricultural industry contributes 6.1 billion dollars to the economy (Meyers, 2016). As the population of the Tricolored Blackbird dies, the economy is also affected. The future of the agriculture industry depends on you.
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(Benson, 2016)
Tug on anything in nature and you will find it connected to everything else
- John Muir
Benson, T. (n.d.). Tricolored Blackbird (Agelaius tricolor). Retrieved from
A Bleak Future
Life without the Tricolored Blackbird
In the 1930s, the Tricolored Blackbird population thrived at 2-3 million birds (Cornell University, 2019, Tricolored Blackbird Overview). Over decades, the population has declined 50% between the 1930s and 1970s. Alarmingly, there has been an additional population decline of 56% between 1994 and 2000 (Center for Biological Diversity, n.d, Natural History). These statistics reveal the bleak future for the survival of this species if action is not taken now.
A common misconception is that the extinction of a single species does not affect the health and stability of an entire ecosystems. When one species dies out, an entire ecosystem falters. Losing one species, is like taking the bottom pieces out of a jenga puzzle. The entire structure represents an ecosystem and each puzzle piece is a species. The more species there are, the greater biodiversity within the ecosystem. As more and more pieces are removed, the tower gets weaker and weaker and eventually falls. At the rate the fragile population of the Tricolored Blackbird is decreasing, a bleak future lies ahead. The pieces are in your hands.
Humans are Hurting the Tricolored Blackbird
The Tricolored Blackbird has behaviors and habitat requirements that make them more susceptible to endangerment. This species prefers to nest in wetlands, which are sensitive marshland ecosystems. Unfortunately, a majority of these wetlands have been destroyed by climate change and urban sprawl. Only 15% of the 4 million acres of wetlands that were previously part of the Bay Area in the 1850s remain today (Blankenbuehler, 2016).
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The Tricolored Blackbird has a restricted range of where they live, meaning they have few opportunities for finding new habitats. 95% of the Tricolored Blackbirds’ breeding occurs between the San Joaquin and Sacramento Valleys in California. Unfortunately, these lands have become increasingly developed. As a result, this species has fewer and fewer places to safely call home.
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The expansion of urban areas has created the need for water diversions. Humans are draining water from the wetlands and species are being killed in this process. Wetland degradation and destruction have increased floods, droughts, nutrient runoff and shoreline erosion (Blankenbuehler, 2016). This cycle is a form of “wetland retreating” which is causing bird populations to breed at devastatingly lower rates (Schiermeier, 2007). The Tricolored Blackbird population is an indicator of the health of our wetlands. The signal is clear, we must act now to save not only the blackbirds, but all of the species that rely on the wetlands, or we risk losing them from our world forever.
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A key factor that continues to hurt the Tricolored Blackbird population is that they have small broods of one to two with clutch sizes between one and four (Animal Diversity Web, 2011, Agelaius Tricolor). The hatching periods of these birds coincide with crop harvest time, meaning that many young Tricolors and eggs are crushed before they fledge. They are disturbed during their most fragile state. On top of this, these birds only breed twice a year in two separate locations which have caused this species to reproduce under its biotic potential (Wilson, Meese, & Wyckoff, 2016). As a result, Tricolored Blackbirds have no safe place to nest which is affecting their population.
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The biggest issue for the Tricolored Blackbird is the reduction of wetland habitats which means they have become reliant on agriculture areas. Without the wetlands, these birds resort to agricultural lands as their home and crops as their source of food. Many farmers act in fear of losing their yield so they shoot these birds or kill them by using dangerous chemicals like avicides. In the 1930s, over 30,000 Tricolored Blackbirds were poisoned to death as part of agricultural experiments (Bonham, 2018). Their new homes of choice are incredibly dangerous, though they have no other place to go. As you can see in this map that shows the areas the Tricolored Blackbird likes to live (outlined in black) These areas also happen to have become either highly populated urban areas or farmlands.
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Howard, D. (2018, January 29). close-up photography of black bird. Retrieved January 16, 2020, from Unsplash.com website:
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(Howard, 2018)
google maps. 2020. (Plus drawing done by Lucia)
Speak up for those that don’t have a voice
Despite all of the threats, there is hope for the Tricolored Blackbird. This species is protected by the federal law under the Migratory Bird Treaty Act of 1918, listed as an endangered species by The International Union for Conservation of Nature and Natural Resources (IUCN) red list and is protected by the 2014 Farm Bill. The Farmer Bill of 2014 was specifically designed to aid the collaboration for government agencies to actively work with universities and private and non-profit organizations (USDA, 2018). This bill provides $370 million for over 100 agricultural conservation projects like the major collaborative project by Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS), Audubon California, and Western United Dairymen.
Though these laws are important protections, in order to save this species, strategies that boost population through long-term conservation plans and short term intervention needs to occur. As of 2007, a team called the Tri-Colored Blackbird Working Group has been constructing an eight-step recovery plan that serves to protect, create, restore, and manage habitats needed to support viable, self-sustaining populations of Tricolors. This group consists of Government departments, agriculture federations and several conservation services (Audubon, 2018). Additionally, a collective project that boosts habitat and outreach is being worked on by USDA’s Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS,2018), Audubon California and Western United Dairymen. This project asks dairy farmers to delay their harvest to allow Tricolored Blackbirds to nest and feed. “Because these birds are going to continue nesting on dairy farms for the foreseeable future, partnering with the farmers to protect them is critical," - Brigid McCormack, executive director of Audubon California. (USDA, 2018) So far, this project has provided $1.1 million to help cushion the loss of profit that dairy farmers experience when they have to push back their harvest dates to prevent the mass slaughter of thousands of baby Tricolors. Projects like this have a long-term goal of finding a sustainable solution for the management of Tricolored Blackbird colonies on farms and saving the species from extinction.
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The Diamond J Dairy farm-saved 25,000 Tricolored Blackbirds in the year of 2019. They did this by delaying and sacrificing most of their harvest. Co-Owner Luciana Jonkman remarked, “We are a first-generation farming family, and we know that sustainability is vital to our farm families and our community...I hope that folks will see this as a huge win-win for conservation and dairy food security in the state of California.” (Audubon, 2019).
Success Story!
Check out this video by Dairy Cares to learn more about the sustainable practices that Luciana uses.
(Pixabay, n.d.)
Dairy Cares. (September, 2015) Dairy Cares: Protecting California's Tricolored Blackbird. Retrieved from
TAKE ACTION!
You have the power to save the Tricolored Blackbird
You can help save this species by spreading awareness about their diminishing population and the ecological effects their extinction will have on ecosystems and agricultural crops. Roughly 90% of California's wetlands have been filled in by urban areas and agricultural crops; but there are ways to preserve and recover what is left. Many government acts and regulations have been passed to support the health of the wetlands. There are also volunteer programs that support wetland restoration and grants that conservation societies can apply to receive funding to restore these amazing and valuable ecosystems. Furthermore, wetlands are suffering from droughts and extreme weather patterns due to climate change. Any action that helps combat rising global temperatures, helps the wetlands and this species thrive!
Karney, L. (n.d.). Agelaius Tricolor. photograph.
Because of the help from people like you, there is optimism for the Tricolored Blackbirds. As of 2018, the population reached 300,000 (IUCN Red List of Threatened Species, 2019, Tricolored Blackbird). This population rebound occurred due to legal protection and conservation by programs like Audubon, who protect birds and their habitat by using science, advocacy, education and conservation (Audubon, n.d, About US). Stop turning a blind eye to environmental issues such as the species extinction of the Tricolored Blackbirds. We have an ethical responsibility to keep this species alive.
Speak up for those that don’t have a voice and take action today!
6 ways you can help
Vote with your dollar
Donate to local Non-profits
Invest in the future
Think Sustainability
Spread the Word!
Your spending habits can make a difference. By opting into a dairy-free lifestyle, you are disincentivizing farmers to grow triticale; a type of wheat to feed cows. Less diverted water and more land for Tricolored Blackbirds to use can directly result in the restoration of a wetland. Consider buying from trusted farmers that use sustainable practices, and consider what incentives your purchase might cause.
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Non-profits like Audobon CA work head-on with private landowners and partners to help bring back the population of Tricolored Blackbirds. You can check out their specific plan and donate here.
Consider supporting future alternatives to agriculture like vertical farming, which can maximize its space, use way less water and not be subject to be grown in post-wetland ecosystems. By supporting alternatives like these, we can help lead the way to a new and more sustainable type of agriculture.
Climate change and urbanization are huge factors affecting the Tricolored Blackbird. Consider counteracting this by reducing your water waste and carbon footprint. This means eating all of your produce, taking shorter showers, switching to renewable energy. Click here for more examples.
Don't be afraid to express yourself. Word of mouth and social media go a long way. Even if you have never thought about it before, try starting the conversation, but share this site at the least! More support means more resources to use towards efforts of conservation!
Get involved politically and support ecotourism, including other forms of funded acts that can provide financial assistance to maintain and expand current wetlands. Many forms of ecotourism can prove to be very beneficial for wetlands, such as duck hunting, which has helped fund over a billion dollars to restore wetlands! You can also stay informed on new conversation laws, that might require your support to get enacted.