We thought we would share a happy update on the Tricolored Blackbird:

Responding to an alarming drop in the rare bird’s numbers, the California Fish and Game Commission today approved an emergency listing of the Tricolored Blackbird under the California Endangered Species Act.

The Fish and Game Commission made the right decision today. While we are pleased that this struggling species is getting the protections it needs, we understand that this is just the beginning of its path to recovery.

We are committed to working closely with our partners at government agencies like the Department of Fish and Wildlife and the Natural Resource Conservation Service, as well as agricultural groups like Western United Dairymen, to save this iconic species from extinction.

According to the California Endangered Species Act, the Commission may list a species when there is an imminent danger. Once listing is approved, the bird will be protected for six months, after which time the listing may be renewed for another six months. The Commission will likely consider a formal listing petition sometime in the spring.

We will keep providing information on the fight to save this species from extinction as it happens.

Thank you again for your committment and passion for this California bird. These successes are not possible without your support.

Warm wishes,

All of us who work at Audubon California