If you're a birder, you'll know what a life list is. It's basically a list of all the bird species one has observed and positively ID'd in one's lifetime. This blog is a record of my "critter" life list (mostly of birds), including photos I've taken over the years, some of the actual lifer if I was lucky enough to get the shot. Don't expect National Geographic quality stuff here, just the work of an amateur photog who loves to trudge out into nature.

Saturday, November 7, 2015

Yellow-Headed Blackbird (Xanthocephalus xanthocephalus)

6/2/02 Male, San Jacinto Wildlife Area, Riverside County, CA

6/2/02 Females, San Jacinto Wildlife Area

LIFE LIST NOTES:

COMMON NAME: Yellow-Headed Blackbird

SPECIES: Xanthocephalus xanthocephalus

FAMILY: Icteridae (Blackbirds & Allies)

LIFE LIST DATE6/2/2002

LOCATION: San Jacinto Wildlife Area, Riverside County, CA

From Kaufman Focus Guide-Birds of North America:

HABITAT/BEHAVIOR: In western marshes in summer, this blackbird draws attention with striking colors and with the male's awful attempts to sing. Outside the nesting season, flocks wander through open habitats (including farm fields), prairies, feedlots), often mixing with other blackbirds. 

IDENTIFYING MARKS: 10"; Name describes male; also note his white wing patches, obvious in flight. Female a bit smaller, sooty brown, with yellow on face and chest, white streaks on belly, not white wing patches. 

VOICE: Male strains to rasp out a few gurgles followed by long, strangled buzzing noise. Call note a low tluc.

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