Researchers from the California Department of Fish and Wildlife and the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service found that the tricolored blackbird's population is on the decline.
"Literally, in the span of 10 minutes, 10 percent of the global population of this bird can be wiped out," said Daniela Ogden, a spokeswoman for Audubon California, during an interview with SFGate.
On Wednesday, the agencies released a survey documenting that approximately 145,000 birds remained in California, as compared to the millions of birds that used to thrive in the area.
The most alarming fact for the scientists was the rapid rate of decline for the population of the tricolored. The survey discovered that their population dropped by 64 percent in 2008 and 44 percent in 2011.
The tricolored blackbird was considered a rare species characterized by its red and white wings and unique song. The blackbird used to live in colonies and was often seen flying in flocks when hunting for food. This species of bird typically thrives in wetlands, but a recent drought in California, coupled with some wetlands being converted into commercial and residential lots, left the birds on their own to find a new habitat.
Also, besides the challenge finding another place to live, the birds also had to face the difficulty of finding food, which were predominantly insects. Most of the tricolored bird population lived in Central Valley, but the food source in this area wasn't enough.
"All those birds have to find the insects they require to breed successfully," UC Davis staff researcher Robert Meese, told SFGate.
Blackbirds often reproduce in wheat and rye fields. Usually they hang their nests in the stalks of the crop, whose height and volume provides protection. But the birds might be forced to find a new home again, once harvest time begins.
