A species I should post more often than I do.
1/160, f/8, ISO 500, Canon 40D, Canon EF 500mm f/4L IS USM + EF 1.4 II Extender, not baited, set up or called in
Recently I’ve been having fun exploring some of my oldest image files and they don’t come much older than these photos of a male Yellow-headed Blackbird displaying at Bear River MBR way back in early June of 2008. The legs splayed out between adjacent perches and the fanned tail are pretty typical of these displays but this time he chose not to flare his wings as they so often do.
If this photo looks familiar it’s because I posted a different photo of him last year.
This shot caught him “singing”. I put that word in quotes because their call/song is far from melodious – some folks describe their song as sounding like a rusty gate opening. You can decide for yourself if you agree.
As you can tell by my image techs I was photographing this bird in extremely low light so I was lucky to get him sharp at such slow shutter speeds. I remember being surprised by how much detail I managed to get on a mostly black bird with so few photons bouncing around.
1/160, f/8, ISO 500, Canon 40D, Canon EF 500mm f/4L IS USM + EF 1.4 II Extender, not baited, set up or called in
Two shots in the burst later he flared his tail even more which revealed brown tones that I don’t often see (or at least notice) in this species. Usually the blacks really do look black.
Readers in many parts of North America never see Yellow-headed Blackbirds and for some reason I don’t post photos of them very often so I figured it was about time to begin rectifying that shortcoming. In spring and summer they’re common around here so maybe I’ve been taking them for granted.
Ron
Thanks for posting these, Ron. I have never seen nor heard one before! Color and song are vibrant!
Thank you for digging though the archives for this one! What a handsome chap! I even like his “song.” I don’t think I’ve ever seen one in the wild. We get the occasional Red-Winged Blackbird around here, but that’s about it for colorful crows in my area.
Speaking of colorful, I believe I saw a Rufous Hummingbird taking full advantage of the orange blossoms in my yard a few moments ago! I’m pretty sure about the Rufous ID. He didn’t seem as chunky as an Allen’s, but I could be — and often am — wrong. In any event, he was beautiful and his gorget lit up like neon orange highlighter. (Mama dog picked the PERFECT time to have to go out! š )
Marty, it’s likely to be a while before I see hummers again. I’ve been thinking about them anyway because I watched a David Attenborough doc about them a couple of evenings ago.
What a truly beautiful contortionist. His voice is no worse than many of ‘our’ birds. Melody is definitely in the ear of the beholder.
Those photos might not come much older, but they sure can’t come better. Just beautiful.
They are rare reports here, I’ve only seen a couple in Eastern WA from a long distance.
I imagine him singing “Oh, What a beautiful morning” but sounding like Edith Bunker.
Xanthocephalus xanthocephalus: how imaginative. Maybe the namer saw a double-headed bird.
“sounding like Edith Bunker” – not what brought back some memories
I want you to know Lyle, I think of you many times when I’m typing scientific names into my post tags. I know I’ll catch hell if I leave those Latin names out… š
He looks like Caruso singing his heart out. I imagine it is his version of “Carmen”. š
Could be…
These are wonderful, even early on you had a eye for great photos.
I find yellow headed blackbirds amusing to watch, they often get so into singing they will throw their heads back enough they fall. The come back to the perch and look around to see if anyone saw the blunder! Sometimes I am laughing so much behind the lens my photos have laughter blur.
I’ve seen them fall over backwards too, April. They’re absolutely consumed by their “singing”.
“Laughter blur” – I just may have to steal that.
Such a beautiful bird. I am willing to forgive their bad habits simply because of their looks…š. Love the straddling poses they gift us with…even the backside is nice to look at. I’ve been lucky twice to have one show up at my feeders in the very early summer…one took a bath at my pond’s edge…what a joy to photograph! But alas they do not stick around, one moment and then gone. I don’t think I’ve ever seen the female of the species…something I’ll have look up. Thanks for sharing these delightful photos!
Interesting that you’ve had them show up at your feeders, Kathy. I’ve never heard of them doing that. Red-winged Blackbirds yes, but not Yellow-headed in my experience.
We have had them at the sunflower feeder with the red-winged…..
Love these characters! I had never seen them until I took my first solo trip to Malheur NWR one Spring some 26 years ago I guess…
It took me forever to drive the short distance from Burns, OR, to the bluff that overlooks the refuge because there was one of these sounding off on a fence post every 1/4 mile! I stopped to listen to their wild call/song nearly every time! Iāve often thought I should record their call to play on Halloween as trick-or-treaters approach my door!
Wonderfully detailed photos, such stunning birds!
Barbara, that just might discourage some of your smaller trick-or-treaters, a useful tool if you’re about to run out of candy.
Beautiful photos. Thanks for posting. Here in Northern Colorado I very occasionally see these guys hanging out with the Red-winged Blackbirds. So Iām always very pleasantly surprised when one appears. I love the detail in these shots.
I’m a little surprised you don’t see them more often in CO, Bill. Thanks.
Beautiful colorful bird and photos. Have taken photos of these guys, but never any like these. Like the way he can perch like that just holding onto the cattails. They are considered uncommon here, but we do get to see them during migrations a couple times a year. They sometimes show up in large mixed flocks with the Red-winged Blackbirds.
Thanks, Everett. Yes, they do like to hang around with other blackbirds at times, in part because their preferred habitats are very similar.
Nice! š They are pretty birds. We get a few of them occasionally in the spring here – “appears” they often come in with the Red Wing Blackbirds but don’t stay. NO the voices of neither species are pleasant…… š No mistaking it……..š
“No mistaking it”
Boy, that’s for sure. I doubt if any other bird in the world sounds like them.
I’ve never seen a Yellow headed Blackbird “in person”, and was just stunned at
the beautiful detail in the all black folded wings and fanned tail that you captured in shot #1—glossy and elegant !
Thanks, Kris. I’m glad you enjoyed that first photo especially.
What a beautiful bird and pose! Have never seen a YHBB.. thx for sharing Ron š
Thank you, Kathleen.
It is always great to see images of species that are common in one area but not so much in another. I see plenty of Red-winged Blackbirds but only once, a Yellow-headed. Great symmetry on the first one!
Thanks, Bruce. I hope to see some YHBB’s later this morning. Maybe even get some photos…
Lovely. I don’t think we have these here in Maryland. And his first pose reminds me of a young girl scuttling barefoot up the sides of a doorway, as I used to do many moons ago.
You’re right, Cathy. Their range map shows them out of range in Maryland. Thanks.