YELLOW-HEADED BLACKBIRD.
497. Xanthocephalus xanthocephalus. 10 inches.
A large and handsome bird, with bright yellow head and breast; body black, with a white patch on the wing. They are a western bird, being found from the central United States to California. They breed abundantly in suitable marshes throughout their range. Their nests are made of strips of rushes, interwoven and fastened to the upright rushes only a few inches above the water. The four to six grayish white eggs are spotted with shades of brown and gray (1.00 × .70).
