Yellow-headed blackbird in the reeds

Yellow-headed blackbirds nest in dense marsh reeds and cattails, and the males hold territory from an exposed perch like this one — which makes them easier to find than most marsh birds, if you’re patient about waiting for one to come up out of the reeds.

Why it matters

They tend to outcompete red-winged blackbirds for the best nesting sites in a marsh, pushing the smaller birds to the edges.

Getting the shot

A fast shutter speed to freeze any movement in the wind-blown reeds, shot from the refuge’s auto-tour loop road.