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Help develop a Bird ID tool!

Bobolink

Dolichonyx oryzivorus ORDER: PASSERIFORMES FAMILY: ICTERIDAE

IUCN Conservation Status: Least Concern

A distinctive bird of open grasslands, the Bobolink is the only American bird that is black underneath and white on the back. This coloring makes the male stand out while he is performing his displays. After breeding he changes into a drab, camouflaged plumage to spend the rest of the year.

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Appearance

Blackbirds
Blackbirds
Typical Voice

Adult Description

  • Medium-sized songbird.
  • Short, pointed tail.
  • Short conical bill.
  • Breeding male black below, white on back.
  • Female and nonbreeding male yellowish brown with bold black stripes on head and back.

Male Description

Breeding (Alternate) Plumage: Face, chest, belly, tail, and wings black. Shoulders, lower back, and rump white to pale gray. Straw-colored back of head. Bill glossy black.
Nonbreeding (Basic) Plumage: Underparts yellowish buff. Black streaks on sides, back, and under tail. Black stripe behind eyes and on top of head. Buff stripe above eyes and in center of crown. Tail and wings brownish. Bill pale.

Female Description

Underparts yellowish buff. Black streaks on sides, back, and under tail. Black stripe behind eyes and on top of head. Buff stripe above eyes and in center of crown. Tail and wings brownish. Bill pale.

Immature Description

Similar to female, but more yellow.

Range Map Help

Bobolink Range Map
View dynamic map of eBird sightings

Field MarksHelp

Similar Species

Similar Species

  • Male Lark Bunting has white patch only on wings, not the back.
  • Female Red-winged Blackbird is darker, more heavily striped on the chest, and has a longer bill.
  • Grasshopper Sparrow has similar overall coloring and dark-striped head with pale central crown, but is much smaller with a proportionately larger head and shorter tail.