Bird
Rusty Blackbird
Euphagus carolinus
A winter visitor to Mississippi, found in all 82 counties and 9 habitats.
- Here
- Winter
- Nesting
- Not known to nest here
- Range
- All 82 counties
- Habitats
- 9

At a glance
- Group
- Birds
- Here
- Winter
- Nesting
- Not known to nest here
- Range
- All 82 counties
- Habitats
- 9
- Habitat models
- Winter
Where it lives
The places its habitat model includes. It is not found everywhere a habitat occurs.
Habitats in Mississippi 9
Each habitat page lists the plants and wildlife also found there.

Open sand of beaches, dunes and the hollows between them.
Disturbed and introduced wetlands
Wet ground taken over by weedy or introduced plants after disturbance, such as common reed, Chinese tallow or tamarisk stands; the upland counterpart is roadsides, fields and disturbed ground.
Floodplain and bottomland forests
Forests on low ground beside rivers and streams that flood from time to time.
Open, fire-kept longleaf pine stands over grasses and wildflowers on wet to moist sandy soil.
Salt-pruned forests and shrub thickets behind coastal dunes.
Forests on moist but not wet ground, such as rich slopes and ravines.
Flat, sandy Coastal Plain pine woodlands, wetter than sandhills and denser than savannas.
Roadsides, fields and disturbed ground
Ground opened by people: roadsides, old fields, pastures, fencerows and lots.
Other habitats in its models (62)
Land cover, or classes with no habitat page in Mississippi. Those recorded in Mississippi first, the rest by region.
Elsewhere in the South (31)
- Atlantic Coastal Plain Brownwater Stream Floodplain Forest Winter.
- Atlantic Coastal Plain Embayed Region Tidal Freshwater Marsh Winter.
- Atlantic Coastal Plain Indian River Lagoon Tidal Marsh Winter.
- Atlantic Coastal Plain Large Natural Lakeshore Winter.
- Atlantic Coastal Plain Peatland Pocosin Winter.
- Atlantic Coastal Plain Small Blackwater River Floodplain Forest Winter.
- Atlantic Coastal Plain Small Brownwater River Floodplain Forest Winter.
- Atlantic Coastal Plain Southern Maritime Forest Winter, only within 120 m of water.
- Atlantic Coastal Plain Southern Wet Pine Savanna and Flatwoods Winter.
- Central and South Texas Coastal Fringe Forest and Woodland Winter, only within 120 m of water.
- Central Atlantic Coastal Plain Wet Longleaf Pine Savanna and Flatwoods Winter.
- Floridian Highlands Freshwater Marsh Winter.
- Lower Mississippi River Dune Woodland and Forest Winter.
- Ozark-Ouachita Mesic Hardwood Forest Winter, only within 120 m of water.
- Ozark-Ouachita Riparian Winter.
- South-Central Interior / Upper Coastal Plain Wet Flatwoods Winter.
- South-Central Interior Large Floodplain Winter.
- South-Central Interior Small Stream and Riparian Winter.
- Southern and Central Appalachian Bog and Fen Winter.
- Southern and Central Appalachian Cove Forest Winter, only within 120 m of water.
- Southern Piedmont Mesic Forest Winter, only within 120 m of water.
- Southern Piedmont Small Floodplain and Riparian Forest Winter.
- Texas-Louisiana Coastal Prairie Winter, only within 120 m of water.
- West Gulf Coastal Plain Large River Floodplain Forest Winter.
- West Gulf Coastal Plain Mesic Hardwood Forest Winter, only within 120 m of water.
- West Gulf Coastal Plain Near-Coast Large River Swamp Winter.
- West Gulf Coastal Plain Nonriverine Wet Hardwood Flatwoods Winter.
- West Gulf Coastal Plain Northern Calcareous Prairie Winter, only within 120 m of water.
- West Gulf Coastal Plain Seepage Swamp and Baygall Winter.
- West Gulf Coastal Plain Small Stream and River Forest Winter.
- West Gulf Coastal Plain Wet Longleaf Pine Savanna and Flatwoods Winter.
Northeast (3)
- Appalachian Hemlock-Hardwood Forest Winter, only within 120 m of water.
- Atlantic Coastal Plain Northern Maritime Forest Winter, only within 120 m of water.
- North-Central Interior Wet Flatwoods Winter.
Midwest (1)
- North-Central Interior Maple-Basswood Forest Winter, only within 120 m of water.
Land cover and other classes (27)
- Atlantic Coastal Plain Blackwater Stream Floodplain Forest - Forest Modifier Winter.
- Atlantic Coastal Plain Clay-Based Carolina Bay Forested Wetland Winter.
- Atlantic Coastal Plain Clay-Based Carolina Bay Herbaceous Wetland Winter.
- Atlantic Coastal Plain Depression Pondshore Winter.
- Atlantic Coastal Plain Nonriverine Swamp and Wet Hardwood Forest - Oak Dominated Modifier Winter.
- Atlantic Coastal Plain Nonriverine Swamp and Wet Hardwood Forest - Taxodium/Nyssa Modifier Winter.
- Atlantic Coastal Plain Streamhead Seepage Swamp - Pocosin - and Baygall Winter.
- Central Appalachian Floodplain - Forest Modifier Winter.
- Central Appalachian Riparian - Forest Modifier Winter.
- Central Interior and Appalachian Floodplain Systems Winter.
- Central Interior and Appalachian Riparian Systems Winter.
- Central Interior and Appalachian Shrub-Herbaceous Wetland Systems Winter.
- Central Interior and Appalachian Swamp Systems Winter.
- East Gulf Coastal Plain Large River Floodplain Forest - Herbaceous Modifier Winter.
- East Gulf Coastal Plain Near-Coast Pine Flatwoods - Offsite Hardwood Modifier Winter, only within 120 m of water.
- East Gulf Coastal Plain Southern Depression Pondshore Winter.
- Eastern Great Plains Floodplain Systems Winter.
- Introduced Upland Vegetation - Annual Grassland Winter, only within 120 m of water.
- Introduced Upland Vegetation - Perennial Grassland and Forbland Winter, only within 120 m of water.
- South-Central Interior Large Floodplain - Forest Modifier Winter.
- South-Central Interior Large Floodplain - Herbaceous Modifier Winter.
- Southern Appalachian Grass and Shrub Bald - Herbaceous Modifier Winter, only within 120 m of water.
- Southern Piedmont Large Floodplain Forest - Forest Modifier Winter.
- Southern Piedmont/Ridge and Valley Upland Depression Swamp Winter.
- Texas-Louisiana Coastal Prairie Slough Winter.
- Unconsolidated Shore Winter.
- Unconsolidated Shore (Lake/River/Pond) Winter.
Seasons in Mississippi
- Winter: does not nest here, in all 82 counties.
Food plants
Diet records by plant genus, from studies across North America. Not a record from this state. Plants matched by genus.
No native plants of these genera are recorded in Mississippi.
Plant genera in its diet records (1)
- Zea 1 diet record. 0 native plants in Mississippi
Also found in its main habitats
Its main habitats in Mississippi, by how much of its habitat model each one is, with the birds most characteristic of each and the plants that grow wild there. Shared habitat, not food.
Floodplain and bottomland forests
Birds 98
- VeeryCatharus fuscescens
- Louisiana WaterthrushSeiurus motacilla
- Northern Saw-whet OwlAegolius acadicus
- Red-breasted NuthatchSitta canadensis
- Willow FlycatcherEmpidonax traillii
- Kentucky WarblerOporornis formosus
- Prothonotary WarblerProtonotaria citrea
- Swainson's WarblerLimnothlypis swainsonii
- Broad-winged HawkButeo platypterus
- OvenbirdSeiurus aurocapilla
- Worm-eating WarblerHelmitheros vermivorum
- Blue-headed VireoVireo solitarius
Plants 346
- Elliott's BlueberryVaccinium elliottii
- White Panicled Aster; Eastern Lined AsterSymphyotrichum lanceolatum var. latifolium
- Possumhaw HollyIlex decidua
- Cherrybark OakQuercus pagoda
- Appalachian Orange ConeflowerRudbeckia fulgida var. umbrosa
- Shagbark HickoryCarya ovata
- Southern Shagbark HickoryCarya carolinae-septentrionalis
- Spruce Pine; Walters Pine; Cedar PinePinus glabra
- Blunt Broom SedgeCarex tribuloides
- Louisiana SedgeCarex louisianica
- Smooth Hedge-nettleStachys tenuifolia
- Common Cup-plantSilphium perfoliatum
Pine flatwoods
Birds 58
- Red-cockaded WoodpeckerPicoides borealis
- Pine WarblerDendroica pinus
- Brown-headed NuthatchSitta pusilla
- Bachman's SparrowAimophila aestivalis
- Mississippi KiteIctinia mississippiensis
- Eastern BluebirdSialia sialis
- Barred OwlStrix varia
- Dark-eyed JuncoJunco hyemalis
- Hermit ThrushCatharus guttatus
- MerlinFalco columbarius
- Northern WaterthrushSeiurus noveboracensis
- Common Ground-doveColumbina passerina
Plants 170
- Vaccinium darrowiiVaccinium darrowii
- Coreopsis pubescens var. debilisCoreopsis pubescens var. debilis
- Curtiss' BeakrushRhynchospora curtissii
- Rhynchospora fernaldiiRhynchospora fernaldii
- Savanna Yellow-eyed-grassXyris flabelliformis
- Shortleaf Yellow-eyed-grassXyris brevifolia
- Dwarf MilkwortSenega nana
- Symphyotrichum adnatumSymphyotrichum adnatum
- Quercus chapmaniiQuercus chapmanii
- Dwarf Live OakQuercus minima
- Kalmia hirsutaKalmia hirsuta
- Physalis arenicolaPhysalis arenicola
Coastal dunes and beaches
Birds 127
- Black-throated Green WarblerDendroica virens
- Sooty TernOnychoprion fuscatus
- Black-bellied PloverPluvialis squatarola
- Marbled GodwitLimosa fedoa
- Rock PigeonColumba livia
- Short-billed DowitcherLimnodromus griseus
- Horned LarkEremophila alpestris
- KilldeerCharadrius vociferus
- Nelson's Sharp-tailed SparrowAmmodramus nelsoni
- Purple MartinProgne subis
- Red KnotCalidris canutus
- Sandwich TernThalasseus sandvicensis
Plants 118
- Beach Morning-gloryIpomoea imperati
- Ipomoea cordatotriloba var. cordatotrilobaIpomoea cordatotriloba var. cordatotriloba
- Northern Seaside SpurgeEuphorbia polygonifolia
- Southern Seaside SpurgeEuphorbia bombensis
- Mound-lily YuccaYucca gloriosa
- Agalinis harperiAgalinis harperi
- Panicum amarum var. amarumPanicum amarum var. amarum
- Rough American Barnyard GrassEchinochloa muricata var. muricata
- Northern Seabeach OrachAtriplex mucronata
- Atriplex cristataAtriplex cristata
- Dune Marsh-elderIva imbricata
- Pinewoods FingergrassEustachys petraea
Sources
- USGS Gap Analysis Project habitat models (2001)
- USGS GAP winter habitat model for Rusty Blackbird Fresh water only
- USGS Gap Analysis Project range maps (2001), modeled by watershed; migratory gives no dates
- NatureServe Explorer (CC BY 4.0), habitat names
- US Census TIGER/Line counties
- Names follow the USGS Gap Analysis Project (2001)
- Avian Diet Database (Hurlbert Lab) (CC0 1.0), diet records by plant genus





















































