Like redwings, male yellowheads often mate with more than one female. This species feeds extensively on insects during the nesting season and in late summer and fall on weed seeds, sunflower, corn, and small grains, often in association with redwings and grackles. An early migrant, yellowheads leave the northern Great Plains area before redwings and grackles, wintering in Mexico. Other birds are sometimes seen feeding with redwings, yellowheads, and grackles but cause only minor damage to agricultural crops. The male is black with a brown head, and the female is gray.
Cowbirds feed primarily on weed seeds and insects, often in association with grazing livestock.
Although starlings sometimes forage in grain and sunflower crops, these birds are usually searching for insects and do not feed on the crop. However, starlings will damage ripening fruit crops. House sparrows can cause significant local damage to small grain crops and sunflower grown near farmsteads and towns. Their diet consists largely of insects. These birds feed primarily on weed seeds and insects.