Yellow-headed Blackbird
Encyclopedia
The Yellow-headed Blackbird (Xanthocephalus xanthocephalus) is a medium-sized blackbird
, and the only member of the genus
Xanthocephalus.
Adults have a pointed bill. The adult male is mainly black with a yellow head and breast; they have a white wing patch sometimes only visible in flight. The adult female is mainly brown with a dull yellow throat and breast. Both genders resemble the respective genders of the smaller Yellow-hooded Blackbird
of South America
.
The breeding habitat
of the Yellow-headed Blackbird is cattail (Typha
spp.) marsh
es in North America
, mainly west of the Great Lakes
. The nest is built with and attached to marsh vegetation. They nest in colonies
, often sharing their habitat closely with the Red-winged Blackbird
(Agelaius phoeniceus). During the breeding
and nesting season
the males are very territorial and spend much of their time perched on reed stalks and displaying or chasing off intruders.
These birds migrate
in the winter to the southwestern United States
and Mexico
. They often migrate in huge flocks with other species of birds. These blackbirds are only permanent residents in the USA of the San Joaquin Valley
and the Lower Colorado River
Valley of Arizona
and California
. It is an extremely rare vagrant to Western Europe
, with some records suspected to refer to escapes from captivity.
These birds forage in the marsh, in fields or on the ground; they sometimes catch insect
s in flight. They mainly eat seed
s and insects. Outside of the nesting period, they often feed in flocks, often with other blackbirds
.
This bird's song resembles the grating of a rusty hinge.
Icterid
The Icterids are a group of small to medium-sized, often colorful passerine birds restricted to the New World. Most species have black as a predominant plumage color, often enlivened by yellow, orange or red. The family is extremely varied in size, shape, behavior and coloration...
, and the only member of the genus
Genus
In biology, a genus is a low-level taxonomic rank used in the biological classification of living and fossil organisms, which is an example of definition by genus and differentia...
Xanthocephalus.
Adults have a pointed bill. The adult male is mainly black with a yellow head and breast; they have a white wing patch sometimes only visible in flight. The adult female is mainly brown with a dull yellow throat and breast. Both genders resemble the respective genders of the smaller Yellow-hooded Blackbird
Yellow-hooded Blackbird
The Yellow-hooded Blackbird is a species of bird in the Icteridae family. It is found in grassy and brush areas near water in northern South America, and is generally fairly common...
of South America
South America
South America is a continent situated in the Western Hemisphere, mostly in the Southern Hemisphere, with a relatively small portion in the Northern Hemisphere. The continent is also considered a subcontinent of the Americas. It is bordered on the west by the Pacific Ocean and on the north and east...
.
Habitat (ecology)
A habitat is an ecological or environmental area that is inhabited by a particular species of animal, plant or other type of organism...
of the Yellow-headed Blackbird is cattail (Typha
Typha
Typha is a genus of about eleven species of monocotyledonous flowering plants in the family Typhaceae. The genus has a largely Northern Hemisphere distribution, but is essentially cosmopolitan, being found in a variety of wetland habitats...
spp.) marsh
Marsh
In geography, a marsh, or morass, is a type of wetland that is subject to frequent or continuous flood. Typically the water is shallow and features grasses, rushes, reeds, typhas, sedges, other herbaceous plants, and moss....
es in North America
North America
North America is a continent wholly within the Northern Hemisphere and almost wholly within the Western Hemisphere. It is also considered a northern subcontinent of the Americas...
, mainly west of the Great Lakes
Great Lakes
The Great Lakes are a collection of freshwater lakes located in northeastern North America, on the Canada – United States border. Consisting of Lakes Superior, Michigan, Huron, Erie, and Ontario, they form the largest group of freshwater lakes on Earth by total surface, coming in second by volume...
. The nest is built with and attached to marsh vegetation. They nest in colonies
Bird colony
A bird colony is a large congregation of individuals of one or more species of bird that nest or roost in close proximity at a particular location. Many kinds of birds are known to congregate in groups of varying size; a congregation of nesting birds is called a breeding colony...
, often sharing their habitat closely with the Red-winged Blackbird
Red-winged Blackbird
The Red-winged Blackbird is a passerine bird of the family Icteridae found in most of North and much of Central America. It breeds from Alaska and Newfoundland south to Florida, the Gulf of Mexico, Mexico, and Guatemala, with isolated populations in western El Salvador, northwestern Honduras, and...
(Agelaius phoeniceus). During the breeding
Breeding in the wild
Breeding in the wild is the natural process of animal reproduction occurring in the natural habitat of a given species. This terminology is distinct from animal husbandry or breeding of species in captivity...
and nesting season
Nesting season
The nesting season is the time of year during which birds and some other animals, particularly some reptiles, build nests, lay eggs in them, and in most cases bring up their young. It is usually in the spring....
the males are very territorial and spend much of their time perched on reed stalks and displaying or chasing off intruders.
These birds migrate
Bird migration
Bird migration is the regular seasonal journey undertaken by many species of birds. Bird movements include those made in response to changes in food availability, habitat or weather. Sometimes, journeys are not termed "true migration" because they are irregular or in only one direction...
in the winter to the southwestern United States
Southwestern United States
The Southwestern United States is a region defined in different ways by different sources. Broad definitions include nearly a quarter of the United States, including Arizona, California, Colorado, Nevada, New Mexico, Oklahoma, Texas and Utah...
and Mexico
Mexico
The United Mexican States , commonly known as Mexico , is a federal constitutional republic in North America. It is bordered on the north by the United States; on the south and west by the Pacific Ocean; on the southeast by Guatemala, Belize, and the Caribbean Sea; and on the east by the Gulf of...
. They often migrate in huge flocks with other species of birds. These blackbirds are only permanent residents in the USA of the San Joaquin Valley
San Joaquin Valley
The San Joaquin Valley is the area of the Central Valley of California that lies south of the Sacramento – San Joaquin River Delta in Stockton...
and the Lower Colorado River
Colorado River
The Colorado River , is a river in the Southwestern United States and northwestern Mexico, approximately long, draining a part of the arid regions on the western slope of the Rocky Mountains. The watershed of the Colorado River covers in parts of seven U.S. states and two Mexican states...
Valley of Arizona
Arizona
Arizona ; is a state located in the southwestern region of the United States. It is also part of the western United States and the mountain west. The capital and largest city is Phoenix...
and California
California
California is a state located on the West Coast of the United States. It is by far the most populous U.S. state, and the third-largest by land area...
. It is an extremely rare vagrant to Western Europe
Western Europe
Western Europe is a loose term for the collection of countries in the western most region of the European continents, though this definition is context-dependent and carries cultural and political connotations. One definition describes Western Europe as a geographic entity—the region lying in the...
, with some records suspected to refer to escapes from captivity.
These birds forage in the marsh, in fields or on the ground; they sometimes catch insect
Insect
Insects are a class of living creatures within the arthropods that have a chitinous exoskeleton, a three-part body , three pairs of jointed legs, compound eyes, and two antennae...
s in flight. They mainly eat seed
Seed
A seed is a small embryonic plant enclosed in a covering called the seed coat, usually with some stored food. It is the product of the ripened ovule of gymnosperm and angiosperm plants which occurs after fertilization and some growth within the mother plant...
s and insects. Outside of the nesting period, they often feed in flocks, often with other blackbirds
Icterid
The Icterids are a group of small to medium-sized, often colorful passerine birds restricted to the New World. Most species have black as a predominant plumage color, often enlivened by yellow, orange or red. The family is extremely varied in size, shape, behavior and coloration...
.
This bird's song resembles the grating of a rusty hinge.
External links
- Yellow-headed Blackbird Information and Photos - South Dakota Birds and Birding
- Yellow-headed Blackbird Species Account - Cornell Lab of Ornithology
- Yellow-headed Blackbird - USGS Patuxent Bird Identification InfoCenter
- http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qfExr7E7l3w - video of a female Yellow-headed Blackbird in Annapolis Valley, NS, Canada, well outside of its normal range.