Feeding Wild Birds

[ChickenCanoe]

Yellow-headed Blackbird

Female

Pretty birds. We don't have them here. I don't think they are even in the Peterson's guide to birds of the Eastern United States.

 

[R2elk]

Pretty birds. We don't have them here. I don't think they are even in the Peterson's guide of birds of the Eastern United States.

The book I just grabbed shows their range from Illinois west through California and from Canada south through Mexico.

 

[pozees2]

Yellow-headed Blackbird

Female

Oh wow, how cool! I've never seen those down here in CO, I'm envious!

 

[ChickenCanoe]

I didn't check the book. I just don't remember seeing it listed. That used to be my bird bible.
Maybe we don't have enough open territory here or some other reason they aren't attracted to our environs. Where I live is mostly populated by woodland favoring species. We do have a big wetland birding area about 20 minutes from the house in the bottom land between the Missouri and Mississippi at Alton, IL. I haven't been birding there in a couple years so I should go check it out.
The bottom lands along both rivers have lots of open land but I'm at the top of a hill in the woods.

 

[sourland]

Tonight there are 5 male and 2 female cardinals at the feeder. Where have they been all winter ?

When I left the beagle club for lunch, there were roughly 23 wild turkeys in the farmer's field - two very large long bearded toms in the flock. When I went back after lunch they were still there and another flock of 15 was entering the field. Several of the toms in the first group were displaying, and I noticed a bit of commotion. First thought it was a scuffle, but then saw that it was a tom mating a hen - something I have never seen before.

 

[CapricornFarm]

Yellow-headed Blackbird

Female

Very pretty, I have never seen them.

 

[R2elk]

Very pretty, I have never seen them.

Thank you. They are not an eastern bird. I never saw one until I moved to Wyoming. Their call is very similar to that of a Red-wing only much hoarser and deeper.

 

[007Sean]

Yellow-headed Blackbird

Female

I saw them once in North Texas when I was kid.

 

[CapricornFarm]

Thank you. They are not an eastern bird. I never saw one until I moved to Wyoming. Their call is very similar to that of a Red-wing only much hoarser and deeper.

Well that explains it! I have only visited Vegas out west. Been all the way from Nova Scotia to the Florida keys on the east coast.

 

[R2elk]

The male Red-wings showed up yesterday in the high winds and sunshine. Today they are out there singing away in 4 1/2" of snow.