Brewer's Blackbird

Euphagus cyanocephalus

"... the sexes differ in size and color. The nine-inch male is glossy black with a purplish iridescence on the head, the reason for the name cyanocephalus, Greek for 'blue-headed.' Its eyes are a bright, pale yellow. In contrast, the smaller female is a dingy, sooty gray with dark brown eyes ... Small flocks usually contain both males and females, and their dimorphism in plumage and eye color facilitates identification."

"Brewer's blackbird differs from the much larger grackles in having a rounder head, a shorter bill, and a shorter, rounded tail."

Photo taken with a Nikon D80 using a Nikon 400mm, f/5.6 manual focus, internal focus lens.

January 12, 2007.