Agelaius tricolor (Tricolored Blackbird)
Credit: Daniel Murphy
about the species
Tricolored Blackbirds are considered essentially endemic to California and have historically nested on a variety of substrates in wetland habitats, including both native (e.g. cattails, bulrushes) and introduced species (e.g. invasive mustards, Himalayan blackberry). However, the largest colonies now use triticale - a grain grown for cattle feed - fields for nesting in the San Joaquin Valley.
why species was selected
Tricoloreds have already experienced extreme population decline during the past century due to habitat alternation and they are predicted to lose between 30 - 60% of their habitat through climate change alone. A better understanding of adaptation and genetic diversity patterns in the species will be vitally informative for guiding decision-making through the multitude of inevitable environmental changes the species will experience.
