Action timeline

April 9, 2004 – The Center submitted an emergency petition to list the tricolored blackbird as endangered under the federal and California Endangered Species Act, also requesting immediate action to prohibit or delay harvesting and plowing activities on private lands used by tricolors during the nesting season. Both the California Fish and Game Commission and the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service neglected to list the species on an emergency basis, but agreed to review the listing petition on a regular timeline.

2005 – After the Service failed to conduct a legally required initial scientific review of the 2004 petition, the Center sent the Service a 60-day notice of intent to sue.

February 13, 2006 – After the Service failed to respond to the notice of intent, the Center sued the Service. It had been 16 months since the initial petition review should have been completed.

December 5, 2006 – Having finally reviewed the Center's petition, the Service announced that it did not present substantial information to warrant protecting the tricolor.

October 8, 2014 – The Center submitted an emergency petition to list the tricolored blackbird as endangered under the California Endangered Species Act, also requesting immediate action to prohibit or delay harvesting and plowing activities on private lands used by tricolors during the nesting season.

December 3, 2014 – California Fish and Game Commission voted to list the tricolor blackbird under the California Endangered Species Act on an emergency basis.

February 2015 – The Center petitioned to list the tricolored blackbird as endangered under the federal Endangered Species Act.

August 2015 – The Center re-petitioned to list the tricolored blackbird as endangered under the California Endangered Species Act after an erroneous decision to deny the Center’s 2014 petition.

September 18, 2015 – The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service found that the Center’s petition presented significant scientific information showing the listing may be warranted.

December 2015 – The California Fish and Game Commission found that the Center’s petition presented sufficient scientific information and data to show listing may be warranted and protected the tricolored blackbird as a candidate for listing under the California Endangered Species Act.

February 2018 – The California Department of Fish and Wildlife issued its status report for the tricolored blackbird, which recommended listing the species as threatened under the California Endangered Species Act.

April 19, 2018 – Fourteen years after our first petition for this species, California today to protect the tricolored blackbird as "threatened" under the California Endangered Species Act. The commission also voted to protect the rare Lassics lupine mountain wildflower (for which we also petitioned) as "endangered."

Photo courtesy USFWS