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Bird

Rusty Blackbird

Euphagus carolinus

A winter visitor to West Virginia, found in all 55 counties and 11 habitats.

Here
Winter and on migration
Nesting
Not known to nest here
Range
All 55 counties
Habitats
11

At a glance

Group
Birds
Here
Winter and on migration
Nesting
Not known to nest here
Range
All 55 counties
Habitats
11
Habitat models
Winter

Where it lives

The places its habitat model includes. It is not found everywhere a habitat occurs.

Habitats in West Virginia 11

Each habitat page lists the plants and wildlife also found there.

1 of 11

Swamps

The Chickahominy Swamp LCCN2004661405
WinterCentral Interior and Appalachian Swamp SystemsWilliam McIlvaine, The Chickahominy Swamp (1862): wind-tossed swamp trees standing in dark water under a storm. Shown: Chickahominy Swamp, Virginia, a neighboring state.The Chickahominy Swamp LCCN2004661405, William McIlvaine (1813-1867), 1862. Public domain. Source record.

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.

Winter

Floodplain and bottomland forests

Forests on low ground beside rivers and streams that flood from time to time.

WinterCentral Appalachian Floodplain - Forest Modifier; Central Appalachian Riparian - Forest Modifier; South-Central Interior Large Floodplain - Forest Modifier; Central Interior and Appalachian Floodplain Systems; Central Interior and Appalachian Riparian Systems; South-Central Interior Small Stream and Riparian; South-Central Interior Large Floodplain

Freshwater marshes

Open, herb-covered wetlands with fresh, non-tidal water.

WinterCentral Interior and Appalachian Shrub-Herbaceous Wetland Systems

Streams, rivers and their banks

Flowing water and its banks, bars and rocky shoals.

WinterCentral Interior and Appalachian Riparian Systems; South-Central Interior Small Stream and Riparian

Wet meadows

Open, wet, grassy or sedgy ground that is not a bog.

WinterCentral Interior and Appalachian Shrub-Herbaceous Wetland Systems

Moist forests

Woods Scene
WinterOnly within 120 m of water.Southern and Central Appalachian Cove ForestHarvey Joiner, Woods Scene: tall beeches in a moist Kentucky woodland, light falling through a closed canopy onto a damp forest floor. Regional view: the painting does not name the exact site. Shown: Kentucky beech woods (Harvey Joiner, Louisville painter of Kentucky beech forests; the painting does not name the site), a neighboring state.Woods Scene, Harvey Joiner, c. 1880-1920. Public domain. Source record.

Hemlock forests

Shady, evergreen forests of eastern or Carolina hemlock, often along rocky mountain streams and in gorges.

WinterOnly within 120 m of water.Appalachian Hemlock-Hardwood Forest

Mountain balds

Treeless grassy or shrubby summits and ridges in the high mountains.

WinterOnly within 120 m of water.Southern Appalachian Grass and Shrub Bald - Herbaceous Modifier

Rich cove forests

Sheltered, moist mountain hollows and lower slopes with deep, fertile soil.

WinterOnly within 120 m of water.Southern and Central Appalachian Cove Forest

Roadsides, fields and disturbed ground

Ground opened by people: roadsides, old fields, pastures, fencerows and lots.

WinterOnly within 120 m of water.Pasture/Hay
Other habitats in its models (66)

Land cover, or classes with no habitat page in West Virginia. Those recorded in West Virginia first, the rest by region.

Elsewhere in the South (38)
  • Atlantic and Gulf Coastal Plain Interdunal Wetland Winter.
  • 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.
  • East Gulf Coastal Plain Maritime Forest Winter, only within 120 m of water.
  • East Gulf Coastal Plain Near-Coast Pine Flatwoods Winter, only within 120 m of water.
  • East Gulf Coastal Plain Northern Mesic Hardwood Forest Winter, only within 120 m of water.
  • East Gulf Coastal Plain Savanna and Wet Prairie Winter.
  • East Gulf Coastal Plain Small Stream and River Floodplain Forest Winter.
  • East Gulf Coastal Plain Southern Mesic Slope Forest Winter, only within 120 m of water.
  • Floridian Highlands Freshwater Marsh Winter.
  • Lower Mississippi River Dune Woodland and Forest Winter.
  • Mississippi River Bottomland Depression Winter.
  • Mississippi River Low Floodplain (Bottomland) Forest Winter.
  • Mississippi River Riparian 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.
  • Southern and Central Appalachian Bog and Fen Winter.
  • 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 (2)
  • 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 (25)
  • 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.
  • East Gulf Coastal Plain Large River Floodplain Forest - Forest Modifier 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 Near-Coast Pine Flatwoods - Open Understory Modifier Winter, only within 120 m of water.
  • East Gulf Coastal Plain Near-Coast Pine Flatwoods - Scrub/Shrub Understory 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.
  • Lower Mississippi River Bottomland Depressions - Forest Modifier Winter.
  • Mississippi River Floodplain and Riparian Forest Winter.
  • South-Central Interior Large Floodplain - Herbaceous Modifier Winter.
  • 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 (Beach/Dune) Winter.
  • Unconsolidated Shore (Lake/River/Pond) Winter.

All habitats

Seasons in West Virginia

  • Migratory: does not nest here, in 27 of 55 counties.
  • Winter: does not nest here, in 42 of 55 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 West Virginia.

Plant genera in its diet records (1)
  • Zea 1 diet record. 0 native plants in West Virginia

Avian Diet Database (Hurlbert Lab), CC0 1.0.

Also found in its main habitats

Its main habitats in West Virginia, 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 92

Plants 303

All of floodplain and bottomland forests in West Virginia

Disturbed and introduced wetlands

Birds 112

Plants 12

All of disturbed and introduced wetlands in West Virginia

Streams, rivers and their banks

Birds 88

Plants 232

All of streams, rivers and their banks in West Virginia

USGS Gap Analysis Project habitat models.

Sources