Yellow-Headed Blackbird

Xanthocephalus xanthocephalus

Have you been lucky enough to glimpse this striking yellow bird between the cattails this spring and summer? Within the crowds of Red-winged blackbirds, you can sometimes spot the Yellow-headed blackbird’s golden head and black body (with a white patch on the wings) in freshwater wetlands and nearby fields. Like many refuge natives, these birds enjoy insects in the summer and seeds the rest of the year. They are adept at catching insects off the surface of the water like beetles, grasshoppers, dragonflies, caterpillars, flies, ants, and spiders.

We don’t see it here, but in their wintering grounds, they are noted for their “rolling” flocks

in farm fields, with individuals continually taking flight at the rear of the flock and landing at the front lines to feed. After establishing a foraging site, a flock will return to the same area repeatedly for several days. The blackbirds probe into soft ground and spread their bills to open up leaf sheaths or enlarge holes. They also flip over stones to unearth food.

During nesting, males establish a large territory with a harem of up to 8 females, meaning that some males end up with no mates at all. Young Yellow-headed Blackbirds, smaller Red-winged Blackbirds and Marsh Wrens can, unfortunately, be pushed out of prime nesting spots by the more mature Yellow-headed males.

Did you know? Pleistocene fossils of Yellow-headed Blackbirds have been dug up in California, New Mexico, and Utah! That means there is evidence of Yellow-headed Blackbirds that is 100,000 years old!

Photos by: Virginia Scott