| Common Name | Yellow-headed Blackbird |
|---|---|
| Scientific Name | Xanthocephalus xanthocephalus |
| Type of Report | Rare Species |
| Date of Observation | 07/01/2020 |
| Number Observed | 1 |
| Reporting Observer's Name | Richard Littauer |
| Mailing Address | 10 Monsignor Crosby Avenue #4 Montpelier, VT 05602 United States Map It |
| Email hidden; Javascript is required. | |
| Date Completed | 11/22/2020 |
| Latitude of Observation (enter 0 if unable to provide) | 43.59660 |
| Longitude of Observation (enter 0 if unable to provide) | -72.97122 |
| Place Name | Downtown Rutland |
| Township | Rutland |
| County | Rutland |
| Vermont eBird Checklist URL | ebird.org |
| Time of Day | 11:33 AM |
| Length of Time Observed | 20 minutes |
| Maximum Estimated Distance from Bird (in feet) | 60 |
| Minimum Estimated Distance from Bird (in feet) | 30 |
| Noteworthy Weather Conditions | Cloudy. |
| Optical Equipment Used for Observation | 8x42 Vortex binos, Nikon D500 with 500mm lens. |
| Observer’s Previous Acquaintance With This or Similar Species | Lifer. Very familiar with RWBL. |
| I certify that any attachments included with this report were captured during this observation event. | |
| Description of Habitat | Someone's yard. Short, cropped grass with clover. Urban neighborhood, with fences and trees on the verge. |
| Behaviors Observed | The bird was on top of a roof. It then flew to the ground. It ate seeds spread on the grass for it, before flying to the top of a small shed, and then to some fencing. |
| Description of Vocalizations | None. |
| Verbal Narrative & Description of Observation | I walked around the neighborhood looking for it before I saw it near some cars in a driveway with a feeder. It flew behind the house, so I walked down the driveway to a small parking lot behind the house to find it atop a roof. I took photos before it alighted into the lawn, eating seed spread there. I crawled on my belly to get better photos, and talked briefly to a neighbor before the bird flew to a small shed, and then to some fencing, when I left. |
| Relative Size & Shape | Large blackbird. |
| Head | Yellow head with dark lores, subocular section exteniding beyond eye in the back, and some black edging in throat near bill. Eye black. |
| Feet & Bill | Wedge shaped black bill. Black feathered legs. |
| Upper Back | Black from mantle down. |
| Lower Back & Rump | Black. |
| Wings | Black. Greater outer coverts white. |
| Breast, Belly, Flanks, Under Tail Coverts | Yellow throat and upper belly. Black flank and undertail coverts. Yellow vent. Throat and belly mostly sharply delimited, with some interspersed feathers at the transition. Same for nape. Lower shoulder area sharply delimited. |
| Tail | Long, black. |
| IMPORTANT: What similar species were eliminated when making the identification and how was this bird different? | Distinct bird. Not a Red-winged Blackbird or other blackbird given yellow-coloration. |
| Other Notes & Comments | Adult male given lack of brown coloration. |
| This report was written from notes taken: | During the Observation |
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