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Yellow-headed Blackbird (Xanthocephalus xanthocephalus)

Terry Spivey, USDA Forest Service, www.forestryimages.org

Length: 8-10 in.
Habitat: freshwater marshes, adjacent open areas.

This handsome species nests over water 2 to 4 feet deep, and may abandon a nest if the water level drops. The nests are slung between reed stems and are woven of soggy blades of dead grass. When the grass dries, the nest fabric tightens and the reeds are drawn together, improving the nest's ability. The lining is of leaves, grass, and filmy reed plumes.