Euphagus cyanocephalus

The Brewer's blackbird is a neotropical migrant that nests and summers in Utah. It is fairly widespread. The breeding territory extends north into Canada and east to the Great Lakes, west to California and throughout the Intermountain West. Winter range is the Southwest from Arizona, New Mexico and east to the Gulf Coast states to the panhandle of Florida and south into Mexico.

It is an all-black bird. The head can show an iridescence of purple on the head and neck. The eyes are yellow. The body and wings show a greenish blue iridescence. Females are a dark gray-brown overall. They walk rather than hop.

The Brewer's blackbird is slightly smaller than a robin, at 8 to 10 inches in length with a wingspan of 14 to 16 inches. They are common in open habitats, especially pastures, agricultural farms and sage meadows. Agriculture has enabled this species to spread. They form large gregarious foraging flocks. They eat insects, fruits, seeds and grain.

They nest in colonial groups. The nest is built by the female. It is made of grasses and sticks, lined with mud or cow manure on the ground or marsh reeds and occasionally in a tree. A clutch of three to seven light green eggs with brown blotches are incubated by the female for 14 days. The male guards the nest. Altricial young (born with eyes closed, naked and helpless) are fed by both parents and fledge within 14 days.

Brewer's blackbirds are often victims of parasitic cowbirds. It is not uncommon to see an adult Brewer's feeding a small, fat, demanding cowbird chick. Brewer's numbers appear to be stable, nonetheless.

Bill Fenimore is owner of the Layton, Wild Bird Center, www.wildbird.com/layton and author of the Backyard birds of Utah.