Tricolored Blackbird photographed by Ben Smith.

California’s declining Tricolored Blackbirds were a candidate for protection, but movements of the blackbirds’ large nesting colonies made it hard to convince the California Fish and Game Commission to approve Endangered Species Act protections. eBirders to the rescue! Using millions of records from eBird sightings recorded by birders, a Cornell scientist developed a model showing that the birds had declined 33 percent in just the past 10 years.

With this data in hand, the Tricolored Blackbirds were granted protected status last April. Without question, everyday birders can help provide useful information to help conserve birds and their habitats by using eBird and other citizen science projects.

Learn more about the Tricolored Blackbird’s journey to protected status at https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2018/10/181009175646.htm