Male Yellow-headed Blackbird Portraits

Male Yellow-headed Blackbird close up at Farmington Bay – Nikon D500, f10, 1/1000, ISO 320, -0.3 EV, Nikkor 500mm with 1.4x TC, natural light

I was surprised yesterday to be able to take portraits of male Yellow-headed Blackbirds because they normally fly away from me instead of flying towards me. At least four times the black and yellow birds that sound like rusty porch door springs landed so close my only option was to take close up images with my D500 set up for birds or pick up my D810 with the 18-200mm lens attached and take birdscapes, I opted for the portraits because in my experiences opportunities to take images like these do not come along all that often with this species.

The female Yellow-headed Blackbirds are already feeding young chicks in their nests that are hidden in the cattails and phragmites at Farmington Bay WMA.

Male Yellow-headed Blackbird portrait at Farmington Bay – Nikon D500, f10, 1/640, ISO 320, -0.3 EV, Nikkor 500mm with 1.4x TC, natural light

Male Yellow-headed Blackbirds are brighter and much flashier than the females are and they have more of a vocal array than the females do with 2 songs and 6 calls compared to 1 song and 4 calls for the females.

Male Yellow-headed Blackbird call and song

The male Yellow-headed Blackbirds I saw and photographed yesterday were displaying and calling from the tops of cattails very close to the side of the road and a few even put on displays on the paved surface of the road.  They are handsome birds and a joy to observe and take images of especially when they fly in so close that I can take portraits of them. This Yellow-headed Blackbird portrait made me jump with joy.

Life is good.

Mia

Click here to see more of my Yellow-headed Blackbird photos plus facts and information about this species.