Diet
What do yellow-headed blackbirds eat?
Insects in summer; grain and seeds the rest of the year.
Blackbirds (Icteridae)Yellow-headed BlackbirdXanthocephalus xanthocephalus
Spring and summer diet
- Dragonflies, caterpillars and aquatic insects
Fall and winter diet
- Waste grain and weed seeds
Best feeder foods
- Cracked corn
- Millet
- Black-oil sunflower
Nests in deep cattail marshes and feeds in nearby fields; flocks hit rural feeders in migration.
Where yellow-headed blackbirds need winter food
Regions where yellow-headed blackbirds are present in the cold months:
Frequently asked
What do yellow-headed blackbirds eat?
Insects in summer; grain and seeds the rest of the year.
What is the best food to feed yellow-headed blackbirds?
Cracked corn, Millet, Black-oil sunflower.
What do yellow-headed blackbirds eat in winter?
Waste grain and weed seeds.
Sources
- Yellow-headed Blackbird — All About Birds, Cornell Lab of Ornithology
- Yellow-headed Blackbird life history — Cornell Lab of Ornithology
- Yellow-headed Blackbird — Audubon Guide to North American Birds
Timing reflects typical patterns for the region as a whole; local dates vary with elevation and year. Check the linked eBird bar charts for your county.