May 30, 2026By Ian Souza-Cole
In spring, tricolored blackbirds stage one of California’s great birding spectacles, amassing in the tens of thousands to breed in the Central Valley. Like many bird species, these charismatic blackbirds are extensively studied and monitored during the breeding season. And for a long time, scientists haven’t had a reliable way to track and monitor where these birds go and how they behave after their breeding season, particularly in the southern San Joaquin Valley. That is, until now.
Earlier this year, River Partners installed two additional Motus towers in the region, which will help increase the chances of detecting tagged tricolored blackbirds as they move across the landscape. The new stations at Dos Rios State Park and Panorama Vista Preserve close up a 100-mile gap in wildlife detection, allowing River Partners and other like-minded scientists to track these birds (as well as butterflies and bats) as long as they have Motus tags. River Partners is now one of the scientific and restoration organizations across California collaborating to better understand the tricolored blackbird using this cutting-edge technology.
