The adult male is mainly black with a yellow head and breast; they have a white wing patch sometimes only visible in flight.

Immature members of both sexes are brown with duller yellow plumage compared to adult males.

It is an extremely rare vagrant to western Europe, with some records suspected to refer to escapes from captivity.

During the breeding and nesting season the males are very territorial and spend much of their time perched on reed stalks and displaying or chasing off intruders.

[9] Some methods of gathering food involve flipping over stones, catching insects from the top of water, and foraging.

Female yellow-headed blackbirds primarily feed their newly-hatched young insects from the order Odonata, which includes dragonflies and damselflies.

[14] For example, media outlets reported that on February 7, 2022, a flock of yellow-headed blackbirds migrating to Chihuahua, Mexico, were seen dropping dead in the early morning.

[17] For instance, drainage projects, herbicides/pesticides, and other crop protection methods have impacts on the health of wetlands, and consequently, cause the bird population to fluctuate in number.