yellowheaded

Yellowheaded, or yellow-headed, is a descriptive term used in common names across multiple biological groups to denote organisms with a predominantly yellow coloration on the head. It is not a taxonomic name, and its application varies by region and species.

In birds, several species are called yellowheaded in common usage. The best-known is the Yellow-headed Blackbird (Xanthocephalus xanthocephalus), a North American passerine whose breeding males display a bright yellow head and black body. Other species may be referred to by this descriptor locally or in field guides.

In plants, "yellowhead" or "yellowhead" names are applied to several species with yellow inflorescences. The genus Wyethia in the Asteraceae, native to western North America, is commonly known as yellowheads due to its large yellow flower heads.

In marine life, some reef fishes and other aquatic species are described as yellowheaded in common usage, such as the Yellowhead wrasse, which has a pale yellow head in life.

The term also appears in informal usage for other organisms with yellow heads. Because it is a non-scientific descriptor, different authorities may apply it to different taxa, and it does not indicate a single evolutionary lineage.

See also Yellowhead (disambiguation) for places, organizations, and other uses of the term.