Yellow-headed Blackbirds (Xanthocephalus xanthocephalus) have begun to show up in large numbers in my area of the country. I’m seeing them perched on cattails, phragmites and in flight.

Female Yellow-headed Blackbird on Curly Dock, Farmington Bay WMA, Davis County, UtahFemale Yellow-headed Blackbird on Curly Dock – Nikon D200, f6.3, 1/500, ISO 250, Nikkor 200-400mm VR with 1.4x TC at 400mm, natural light

 The freshwater marshes that surround the Great Salt Lake provide excellent breeding grounds for this species.

Female Yellow-headed Blackbirds are brown and have yellowish throats and facial patches. I photographed the female above perched on Curly Dock at Farmington Bay Waterfowl Management Area on the last trip I made to Utah before permanently moving here.

Yellow-headed Blackbird male displaying, Bear River Migratory Bird Refuge, Box Elder County, UtahYellow-headed Blackbird male displaying – Nikon D300, f6.3, 1/640, ISO 400, +0.3 EV, Nikkor 200-400mm VR with 1.4x TC at 400mm, natural light

Yellow-headed Blackbird males are black with white primary coverts and have yellow heads, chests and throats. They are easily identifiable and unmistakable. I photographed this displaying male above at Bear River Migratory Bird Refuge.

The males are a challenge to expose properly in photographs because of the high contrast between the yellows, blacks and whites. I generally expose for the darks and hope I don’t blow out the white primary coverts if they are shown.

Yellow-headed Blackbirds have a very mechanical sounding call, it can be heard here.

Life is good.

Mia

Click here to view more of my Yellow-headed Blackbird photos plus facts and information about this species.