The Yellow-headed Blackbird's vibrant yellow head contrasts strikingly with its jet-black body, and its raucous vocalizations sound like a rusty creaking gate. This wetlands specialist builds its nest in cattails within areas of deep water that help protect it from predators.
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Yellow-headed Blackbird
The Canadian population of Yellow-headed Blackbird breeds primarily in marshes of the Prairies, with smaller numbers in British Columbia and southwestern Ontario. The species overwinters primarily in northern Mexico and into the southwestern United States. There are approximately 2.6 million individuals in Canada, representing 24% of the global population and a moderate degree of responsibility for Canada. The Canadian population of Yellow-headed Blackbird has shown a moderate increase relative to 1970. Confidence in this assessment is high because the Breeding Bird Survey offers good geographic coverage and high precision in its trend. The national population of Yellow-headed Blackbird is within its goal range.
The Canadian population of Yellow-headed Blackbird is monitored best by the Breeding Bird Survey (BBS), which samples most of the breeding range, is well-suited to the species, and has high precision. The national trend shows long-term fluctuations, increasing from the early 1970s to a peak in the late 1980s, dropping to a low in the early 2000s, and increasing substantially again since around 2010. However, this rebound has occurred only in the Prairie provinces. In British Columbia, the population has declined steadily since around 1990 and is nearly back down to early 1970s levels.
The goal for Yellow-headed Blackbird is to remain at or above its recent population level, based on the Breeding Bird Survey. Trend data show that Yellow-headed Blackbird is currently within its goal range.
| Designation | Geographic Area | Status | CITATION |
|---|---|---|---|
| IUCN | Global | Least Concern | |
| Wild Species | Canada | Secure |
The Yellow-headed Blackbird's vibrant yellow head contrasts strikingly with its jet-black body, and its raucous vocalizations sound like a rusty creaking gate. This wetlands specialist builds its nest in cattails within areas of deep water that help protect it from predators.
Yellow-headed Blackbird is primarily reported between April and October in Canada, as it migrates south in the nonbreeding season. A small number may stay through the winter.
Nesting period starts between early May and late May and ends between early July and mid-July, depending on the region. Before or after this period, the probability of an active nest is lower.