Fauna
Bird

Brewer's Blackbird

Euphagus cyanocephalus

Also known as Blue-headed Blackbird

Brewer's blackbirds are highly social songbirds renowned for walking briskly across open fields, parks, and parking lots in search of food. Males display a striking iridescent gloss with purplish heads and bright yellow eyes, while females wear subtler gray-brown tones with dark irises. Nesting in loose colonies, breeding pairs aggressively mob potential predators, including domestic cats and humans who wander too close to their young.

SocialIridescentSongbird
Brewer's Blackbird reference1 / 7
(c) Lip Kee, some rights reserved (CC BY-SA) · cc-by-sa
—observations
—countries
—peak records
Near ThreatenedConservation statusIUCN Red List categoriesLCNTVUENCREWEXNear ThreatenedRed List categories, explained →
Key facts
Diet & preyGrasshoppers, Beetles, Seeds
Predators
  • Hawks
  • Owls
  • Domestic Cats
ThreatsPesticide reduction of insect prey and agricultural land changes
HabitatsAgricultural fields, urban parks, coastal bluffs, and grasslands
Life span5–10 years
Classification
  1. OrderPasseriformes
  2. FamilyIcteridae
  3. GenusEuphagus
  4. SpeciesEuphagus cyanocephalus
Range & activity
Range data is not available yet.
Safe observation
Interaction riskLow
  1. Low
  2. Moderate
  3. High
  4. Very high
Why interaction risk is low
Safe to observe at a normal distance.
What to notice
Identify males by glossy black plumage, purplish heads, and striking pale yellow eyes.
Support conservation
Maintain a respectful distance around colony trees to avoid nest disturbance.
Responsible observation
  • Spotting Males: Look for bright yellow eyes and purplish head sheen in direct sunlight.
  • Spring Caution: Avoid walking directly under nesting trees as parents aggressively mob passersby.
  • Observing Flocks: Watch them forage on mown lawns or agricultural fields in late summer.
Related species
Help improve the field guideSomething wrong?

Report a name, category, or profile issue for review.

Checking your Fauna account…