Geographic variation in Yellow-headed Blackbirds from the northern Great Plains
We assessed geographic variability in morphology among Yellow-headed Blackbirds (Xanthocephalus xanthocephalus) collected from breeding populations in Minnesota, North Dakota, and South Dakota in the United States and Alberta, Manitoba, and Saskatchewan in Canada during spring. Both male and female Yellow-headed Blackbirds tended to be larger in the more northern breeding populations. Males collected in Manitoba and southeast Saskatchewan tended to be more like populations from the United States, whereas other populations in Saskatchewan and Alberta populations were morphologically similar to each other. For females, however, only the Manitoba population was similar to the U. S. populations, and the females from the southeastern Saskatchewan were similar to other Saskatchewan birds. Southeastern Saskatchewan appears to represent a transitional region between northwestern and southeastern breeding populations of Yellow-headed Blackbirds.
Citation Information
Publication Year | 1994 |
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Title | Geographic variation in Yellow-headed Blackbirds from the northern Great Plains |
DOI | 10.2307/1369112 |
Authors | Daniel J. Twedt, William J. Bleier, George M. Linz |
Publication Type | Article |
Publication Subtype | Journal Article |
Series Title | The Condor |
Index ID | 70203011 |
Record Source | USGS Publications Warehouse |
USGS Organization | National Wetlands Research Center |