Red Wing Black Birds invasive?

[AbAngler]

Can't find the info.... A buddy was telling us over the weekend that Redwing Blackbirds are invasive and that he shoots them. I was surprised and kind of like them but the guy isn't a BSer, so I believe him but can't find anything to confirm....

Are they invasive? Perhaps the more google inclined members could point me to an actual link?

Thanks in advance!

[IR_mike]

Native not invasive.

[Nait Hadya]

starlings perhaps...

[AbAngler]

I guess that would explain why I couldn't find anything to support what he was saying. He's an older rancher, so I had no reason to doubt him. Now I gotta break the bad news to him...

[KegRiver]

They are not on the species list at http://www.invasive.org

But going by the definitions of an invasive species, they certainly could be considered such.

This line in the definitions could well apply to Red Winged Blackbirds, at times.

"that disrupt by a dominant colonization of a particular habitat"

However, they too can be disrupted by other species such as, believe it or not, Marsh Wrens, and more believably, Yellow Headed Blackbirds.
I suspect that it is because of this that they are not on the invasive species list.

[SammyIam]

Is an invasive specie by definition non-native?

[Pudelpointer]

Blackbirds (the AB regs are not very specific about which species) are legal to be shot, but I would have to ask: why would you (or him)?

Especially Red Winged and Yellow Headed blackbirds. These birds do not harm anything except for eating mosquitoes and insects. What small amount of grain they may eat is beyond minuscule. Even Brown-headed cowbirds, which DO parasitize other songbirds, consume an enormous amount of insect pests in pastures and barnyards.

Confused.

[KegRiver]

Not to complicate matters, but.

Red Winged Blackbirds are a major crop pest in some parts of the USA.

So far as I know, they are not considered a serious crop pest in Alberta.
However Blackbirds are not a protected species according to the SDR hunting reg pamphlet. Since no species is mentioned I believe that this means all four species of blackbirds can be considered pests and can be shot on private land at any time.

This could be what lead your friend to thinking that RedWings are an invasive species.

[walking buffalo]

The Wildlife Act lists Redwing Blackbirds as a Non-Licence Animal. It is legal to shoot them. IMO, I can't see a good reason to do so under the pretense of crop damage in Alberta.

ALBERTA REGULATION 143/97
Wildlife Act
WILDLIFE REGULATION

See Section 6 Non Licence Animals

http://www.canlii.org/eliisa/highlig...-143-1997.html

[AbAngler]

Ok, now I'm really confused!

I've always like them, so I was surprised when the old guy said he shoots them.

[KegRiver]

Originally Posted by SammyIam

Is an invasive specie by definition non-native?

Mostly but not necessarily. Some native species are on the invasive species list.

Mallard Ducks for one. Trumpeter Swans for another. Those two were a total surprise to me, but after reading the definitions I can see why they are on the list.

[AbAngler]

Thank you Walking Buffalo. Thats what I was looking for. My google-fu is weak.

So they are legal to shoot, but not invasive. I'm not even going to mention anything to him. His eyesight is so bad, I doubt he could even hit one these days.

[walking buffalo]

Originally Posted by KegRiver

Mostly but not necessarily. Some native species are on the invasive species list.

Mallard Ducks for one. Trumpeter Swans for another. Those two were a total surprise to me, but after reading the definitions I can see why they are on the list.

Pass it to your left...

[KegRiver]

Originally Posted by AbAngler

Ok, now I'm really confused!

I've always like them, so I was surprised when the old guy said he shoots them.

LOL yeah it's clear as mud to me too.

I also see no reason, or should I say, justification for shooting any Blackbird species.

There always used to be Blackbirds around the farm when I was growing up.
Us kids hunted and trapped as many as we could, because we were told they are pests.
But thinking back, I can not recall them doing any damage or of them bothering any livestock.
The only reason I can imagine that they might be considered pests would be their calls and poop on everything around the barnyard.
A large flock could be quite loud and they can whitewash a tractor in short order. But chickens do a lot more white washing in my experience. They make more noise too. So where is the justification ?

I can see it down in the USA where the form flocks numbering in the millions.
But here, a few hundred is a huge flock.

As Pudelpointer said, the small amount of grain or chicken feed they might eat is nothing, even with a flock of a hundred or so.
A bear would eat more in ten minutes then a flock of that size would eat in a couple of days.

[doetracks]

I have a tough time believing that red winged blackbirds are a major crop pest in the U.S.

There were LOADS of grackles and common blackbirds but not many red winged. That was just KS, though.

I like them too. I think the OP's older friend is a victim of old-school thinking. That's just me, though.

[Pudelpointer]

Originally Posted by KegRiver

But thinking back, I can not recall them doing any damage or of them bothering any livestock.

A couple of them, i.e. Brown-headed cowbirds, are quite beneficial to livestock as they will remove skin parasites (ticks, mites, etc.) from cattle as well as eating barnyard insects.

[Fisherpeak]

Starlings are an introduced bird,redwing blackbirds are native.In B.C. they are a songbird and NOT killable.Even by old half blind ranchers.

[Badback]

Originally Posted by walking buffalo

The Wildlife Act lists Redwing Blackbirds as a Non-Licence Animal. It is legal to shoot them. IMO, I can't see a good reason to do so under the pretense of crop damage in Alberta.

ALBERTA REGULATION 143/97
Wildlife Act
WILDLIFE REGULATION

See Section 6 Non Licence Animals

http://www.canlii.org/eliisa/highlig...-143-1997.html

X 2...Well stated walking buffalo

[great white whaler]

Grakles ,,black birds that got a purple green head,,i got like 20 flying around my property ,crapping every where making a racket..i think there trying to kill my baby robins,is that possible ?

[Grizzly Adams]

Originally Posted by great white whaler

Grakles ,,black birds that got a purple green head,,i got like 20 flying around my property ,crapping every where making a racket..i think there trying to kill my baby robins,is that possible ?

Sounds like starlings to me. Got a bunch in the backyard and the day of reckoning is coming. I don't think our blackbird levels are high enough to bother anyone and most I've seen, live around swamps. Love thier call, early in the morning.

Grizz

[great white whaler]

Originally Posted by Grizzly Adams

Sounds like starlings to me. Got a bunch in the backyard and the day of reckoning is coming. I don't think our blackbird levels are high enough to bother anyone and most I've seen, live around swamps. Love thier call, early in the morning.

Grizz

We'll they kill baby robins.?......I looked it up in my bible of a bird book it says Grackle,they also got a yellow eyes.

[KegRiver]

Originally Posted by great white whaler

Grakles ,,black birds that got a purple green head,,i got like 20 flying around my property ,crapping every where making a racket..i think there trying to kill my baby robins,is that possible ?

If they are Grackles, then yes they will very likely kill any baby robins they find. Grackles are nasty.

From your description, I would guess they are indeed Grackles.

[great white whaler]

Originally Posted by KegRiver

If they are Grackles, then yes they will very likely kill any baby robins they find. Grackles are nasty.

From your description, I would guess they are indeed Grackles.

are they killable ?

[KegRiver]

Originally Posted by great white whaler

are they killable ?

On private land, Yes. If you have permission to do so.
They are listed with blackbirds and Starlings in the games regs as a not protected species.

[great white whaler]

Originally Posted by KegRiver

On private land, Yes. If you have permission to do so.
They are listed with blackbirds and Starlings in the games regs as a not protected species.

okay i' ve shot 7 already,they were trying to kill my baby robins.its on my property.

[CNP]

I hate 'em. Back in ON I had to put a wire cage on my chimney because the red winged devils tried to nest in my chimney ........of course they fell down the chimney......I was fortunate to have the glass doors installed and closed This happened three years in a row dohhhhhhhh. Can you imagine trying to catch a bird in your fireplace while preventing it from flying out? Then while running around Beaumaris Lake in Edmonton.........getting close to nesting time right now I believe........they were attacking my head while I was out for an afternoon run. I hate 'em. Use to target them with a sling shot in my yard......many are dead.

[great white whaler]

Originally Posted by ehntr

I hate 'em. Back in ON I had to put a wire cage on my chimney because the red winged devils tried to nest in my chimney ........of course they fell down the chimney......I was fortunate to have the glass doors installed and closed This happened three years in a row dohhhhhhhh. Can you imagine trying to catch a bird in your fireplace while preventing it from flying out? Then while running around Beaumaris Lake in Edmonton.........getting close to nesting time right now I believe........they were attacking my head while I was out for an afternoon run. I hate 'em. Use to target them with a sling shot in my yard......many are dead.

i had this happen just this morning ,while out on my walk,tomorrow i carry a stick.

[bb356]

Red Winged Black Birds are very aggresive !!! I get dive bombed by them at this one well I load water at !!! BUT ......... they sure are pretty little birds !!!

[Cattle Dog]

I was saddened to hear that someone would kill beautiful red-winged blackbirds.

The Major Pest by far are Starlings who rob eggs and baby song birds all the time. Kill those.

In the states, sometimes they have swarms of all-black blackbirds.

But here where i live, there is the occaisonal red-wing blackbird, and rarely do we see the yellowheaded blackbird (maybe one or two yellowheaded ones per year).

There are losts of birds that try to protect their nest; good for them; but for a jogger to complain that he was attacked by a redwing blackbird and so the coward killed it; that is very sad indeed. Maybe the babys have starved to death because Rambo killed their parent.

[BGSH]

magpies and starlings are the pests, leave the song birds alone