Yellow-headed Blackbird

Xanthocephalus xanthocephalus

Yellow-headed Blackbirds are frequently associated with emergent marshes. They take up residence in the deepest water areas, rather than the shallower areas associated with Red-winged Blackbirds. Their harsh song can be heard for great distances across the marsh. Although Missourians do not usually see this species, one or two Yellow-headed Blackbirds are occasionally found in Red-winged Blackbird flocks during spring and fall migrations.

Code Frequency

Only two observations of Yellow-headed Blackbirds were made during the Atlas Project. Ten to 20 other marshes that did not fall within the randomly-selected Atlas blocks were known to harbor this species at the same time this project was being conducted.

Distribution

Based on the results of the Atlas Project, Yellow-headed Blackbirds were distributed only in the Western Glaciated Plains Natural Section and the adjacent portion of the Big Rivers Natural Division. However, several restored marshes that were surveyed during the Atlas Project have since become new nesting sites for this species. Missouri is on the southern edge of this species' breeding range that extends eastward through northern Illinois (Terres 1987). Early in the century, nests were found over an area west of Clark County in the northeast to Saline and Jasper counties in central and southwestern Missouri. (Widmann 1907).

Abundance

Although no abundance information was collected on this species during the Atlas Project, Yellow-headed Blackbirds can be locally abundant. Squaw Creek National Wildlife Refuge in Holt County typically supports the largest population in the state. Twenty-three nests were located there in 1992.

Breeding Evidence

Reported in 2 (<1%) of 1,207 blocks

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