Gene Hunn, Seattle, hunnhome at u.washington.edu

I'm curious if the Rusty Blackbird's bill differs systematically from that
of Brewer's Blackbirds in being more sharply pointed. The bird I reported
yesterday at the Two Rivers Unit north of Duvall struck me that way. The
upper and lower margins of the bill seem quite straight in tapering to the
point, while I believe Brewer's bills have more curvature to the culmen
ridge. The tail of the Rusty also seemed relatively shorter than that of
Brewer's. Otherwise the Rusty I saw had a yellow-white eye in a dark patch
on a buffy head and showed much rufous-buff (hard to judge the color in the
poor light) mottling or barring on the upper breast and upper sides, though
the belly seemed solid black. Couldn't see the upper parts well.