The yellow-headed blackbird takes the cake for the craziest calls. Second is the red-winged blackbird. I recorded both of them yesterday, despite strong winds, and I'm gonna see if the hysterical calls I recorded came through and have Kathleen listen to them.

On Easter, I thought it was the brown-headed cowbird that made the crazy sounds I heard the day before.

I tried to play it for my wife, Kathleen's family, but the sound wasn't what I heard.

A few days later, I watched the Merlin app as the birds were singing/calling and the bird ID on Merlin turns yellow when it recognizes a call. That's how I'm learning the distinctive calls/songs of birds. The tech is amazing.

I think it's wonderful that photographers allow their beautiful photos to be shared.

This photo shows the comical court jester yellow-headed blackbird. Its calls are hysterical. Each one will let you know that she/he knows you are near as it calls out to its fellow yellow-headed blackbirds in willows or reeds. 

Yellow-headed BlackbirdYesterday, I saw yellow-headed blackbirds from the California Trail to Empire Ranch Trail on my 14-mile walk/hike. When there are a bunch of them in the willows, as there were in several places along Empire Ranch Trail, the cacophony of calls mixed with the nearly hysterical red-winged blackbird is something to behold, even in strong Washoe Zephyr winds.