Bird Guide

Yellow-headed Blackbird

Xanthocephalus xanthocephalus

Least ConcernInvertebratesWetlandCup nestMedium · 63 g

About the Yellow-headed Blackbird

The yellow-headed blackbird is a medium-sized blackbird with a yellow head.

Text adapted from Wikipedia, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0.

ID tip

Yellow-headed blackbirds are relatively large blackbirds with large, yellow heads. They measure 8.3–10.2 in (21–26 cm) in length, with a wingspan of 16.5–17.3 in (42–44 cm) and a weight of 1.6–3.5 oz (44–100 g). 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. Immature members of both sexes are brown with duller yellow plumage compared to adult males. Immature males also have some white patches on the wing. Voice: This bird's song resembles the grating of a rusty hinge. Male yellow-headed blackbirds have been observed to have two types of songs, an "accent song" and a "buzz song". The "buzz songs'' have much higher pitch than the accent song, and thus do not echo as well in the dense marshes they live in.

Text from Wikipedia, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0.

What the Yellow-headed Blackbird sounds like

Recording: Justin Watts · CC BY-SA 4.0 · via xeno-canto
Recording: Jonathon Jongsma · CC BY-SA 4.0 · via xeno-canto
Recording: Jonathon Jongsma · CC BY-SA 3.0 · via xeno-canto

Where the Yellow-headed Blackbird lives

Regular rangeRare visitor

Recorded as a rare visitor in Colombia, Cuba, St. Pierre & Miquelon, Bermuda, Ecuador, Guatemala, Honduras, Nicaragua.

When to see the Yellow-headed Blackbird

Peak activity in May · a summer visitor species across most of its range

Easily confused with

Side by side: Yellow-breasted Chat vs Yellow-headed Blackbird · Bobolink vs Yellow-headed Blackbird

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