Photo: Alan Vernon / CC BY 2.0 (Wikimedia Commons)
Brewer’s Blackbird
Euphagus cyanocephalus
Brewer's Blackbird (Euphagus cyanocephalus) — Songbirds & Perching Birds of North America.
Found across 19 guides in our atlas — open any for the full checklist, photos and what's around right now.
The Brewer’s Blackbird (Euphagus cyanocephalus) is a member of the Icteridae family found in North America. Adults weigh 62.5 g. The IUCN Red List lists it as Near Threatened.
Conservation status
IUCN Red List (opens in a new tab)Close to qualifying for a threatened category in the near future.
Where it fits
- Class Aves
- Order Passeriformes
- Family Icteridae Oropendolas, New World Orioles, Blackbirds
- Genus Euphagus
- Species cyanocephalus
Quick facts
- Weight
- 62.5 g
- Diet
- Omnivores
- Family
- Icteridae
- Order
- Passeriformes
- Habitat
- Urban & human-modified
How to identify
Similar birds
Least Concern
Least Concern
Least Concern
Vulnerable
Biology & behaviour
Diet
The Brewer’s Blackbird is a omnivore — it takes a broad, omnivorous diet of both plant and animal foods.
Behaviour
A bird of farmland, parks and gardens, it forages mainly on the ground.
Migration
The Brewer’s Blackbird is partially migratory: some populations move with the seasons while others stay resident year-round.
The Brewer’s Blackbird (Euphagus cyanocephalus) is a member of the Icteridae family, within the order Passeriformes. It is found across North America. Its distribution covers NA sw, sc Canada through w USA.
It is a medium-sized bird. Adults weighs around 62.5 g, with a wing length of about 12.6 cm and a tail of around 10.1 cm.
The IUCN Red List lists it as Near Threatened. That means it is close to qualifying as threatened and is worth keeping a careful eye on.
The species has a mapped global range of roughly 5.3 million km².
Songs & calls
Frequently asked questions
How big is the Brewer’s Blackbird?
The Brewer’s Blackbird is a medium-sized bird that weighs around 62.5 g.
Where does the Brewer’s Blackbird live?
The Brewer’s Blackbird is found across North America with a range covering NA sw, sc Canada through w USA, where it adapts readily to towns, parks and gardens.
What family does the Brewer’s Blackbird belong to?
The Brewer’s Blackbird (Euphagus cyanocephalus) belongs to the Icteridae family, in the order Passeriformes.
What does the Brewer’s Blackbird eat?
The Brewer’s Blackbird is a omnivore — it takes a broad, omnivorous diet of both plant and animal foods.
Does the Brewer’s Blackbird migrate?
The Brewer’s Blackbird is partially migratory: some populations move with the seasons while others stay resident year-round.
Is the Brewer’s Blackbird endangered?
The IUCN Red List lists it as Near Threatened That means it is close to qualifying as threatened and is worth keeping a careful eye on.
What sound does the Brewer’s Blackbird make?
1 real field recording of the Brewer’s Blackbird — including its call — can be played in the Songs & calls section on this page, credited to the recordist who captured it.
How large is the Brewer’s Blackbird's range?
The Brewer’s Blackbird has a mapped global range of about 5.3 million km².
Conservation
Every bird benefits from bird-safe windows, native plants, and keeping cats indoors. Small changes at home add up to real protection.
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Guides for this bird
Best Bird Feeders for Garden Songbirds
How to choose a bird feeder for garden songbirds — the feeder styles compared, the seed they prefer, where to hang it, and how to keep birds safe. A decision framework grounded in real data, with no mystery picks.
Red-winged Blackbird vs Brewer’s Blackbird: How to Tell Them Apart
How to tell a Red-winged Blackbird from a Brewer’s Blackbird — size, range, family and status compared side by side, with links to each bird’s full ID guide.