[Length 9.5 in. Wingspan 15 in.]

Imagine a black bird whose head has been dipped in bright golden-yellow paint. What you will see in your mind's eye is the Yellow-headed Blackbird. This brightly-colored bird, a cousin of the more widespread Red-winged Blackbird, is found in the prairie marshes and lakes of the central and western US and southern Canada. When the male Yellow-headed Blackbird serenades his mate during the breeding season he puts on a show equal to his flashy plumage. He leans forward on his perch, puffs up his feathers and spreads his wings to expose white patches of feathers on his shoulders. But, his "song" is little more than a series of loud, noisy, "squeaky hinge" notes accompanied by a few croaks and buzzes. Sadly, the bird's voice does not match his beautiful plumage! This male was photographed at Audubon NWR in North Dakota. Photo taken with a Nikkor 300mm ED f4.5 lens on Kodachrome 200 film. (Date: June 1991)

[Length 9.5 in. Wingspan 15 in.]

This male Yellow-headed Blackbird was photographed at Quivira NWR, KS. Photo taken with a Nikkor 300mm EDAF-S VR f2.8 lens + Nikkor TC20E II 2.0x Teleconverter (EFL=900mm) on a Nikon D200 camera. (Date: May 1, 2007)

[Length 9.5 in. Wingspan 15 in.]

This male Yellow-headed Blackbird was photographed at Quivira NWR, KS. Photo taken with a Nikkor 300mm EDAF-S VR f2.8 lens (EFL=450mm) on a Nikon D200 camera. (Date: May 2, 2006)

[Length 9.5 in. Wingspan 15 in.]

This Yellow-headed Blackbird was photographed at Shafter Lake, TX. Photo taken with a AF-S VR Zoom-Nikkor 70-300mm f/4.5-5.6G IF-ED lens (EFL=390mm) on a Nikon D200 camera. (Date: September 17, 2009)

[Length 9.5 in. Wingspan 15 in.]

When the male Yellow-headed Blackbird serenades his mate during the breeding season he puts on a show equal to his flashy plumage. He leans forward on his perch, puffs up his feathers and spreads his wings to expose white patches of feathers on his shoulders. But, his "song" is little more than a series of loud, noisy, "squeaky hinge" notes accompanied by a few croaks and buzzes. Sadly, the bird's voice does not match his beautiful plumage! This male was photographed at Valentine NWR in Nebraska. Photo taken with a Nikkor 300mm f4.5 ED lens on Ektachrome 400 film pushed to 800. (Date: May 1986)

[Length 9.5 in. Wingspan 15 in.]

This male Yellow-headed Blackbird was photographed at Arapaho NWR in Walden, Colorado. Photo taken with a Nikkor 300mm EDAF f4.0 lens on Kodachrome 200 film. (Date: May 1992)

[Length 9.5 in. Wingspan 15 in.]

This female Yellow-headed Blackbird was photographed at Arapaho NWR in Walden, Colorado. Photo taken with a Nikkor 300mm EDAF f4.0 lens on Kodachrome 200 film. (Date: May 1992)

[Length 5.5 in. Wingspan xx in.]

This Blackcap was photographed at Titchwell RSPB Reserve, Norfolk, England. Photo taken with a Nikkor EDAF 300 f4.0 lens on Kodachrome 200 film. (Date: May 2002)