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Bobolink

Silhouette BlackbirdsBlackbirds
BobolinkDolichonyx oryzivorus
  • ORDER: Passeriformes
  • FAMILY: Icteridae

Basic Description

Perched on a grass stem or displaying in flight over a field, breeding male Bobolinks are striking. No other North American bird has a white back and black underparts (some have described this look as wearing a tuxedo backwards). Added to this are the male’s rich, straw-colored patch on the head and his bubbling, virtuosic song. As summer ends he molts into a buff and brown female-like plumage. Though they’re still fairly common in grasslands, Bobolink numbers are declining.

More ID Info
image of range map for Bobolink
Year-roundBreedingMigrationNonbreeding
Range map provided by Birds of the World
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Find This Bird

It’s easiest to find Bobolinks if you look for males giving their display flights during spring and early summer. In grassy or overgrown fields and pastures, listen for a long, burbling song punctuated with sharp metallic notes. The male Bobolink often sings this song while flying in a peculiar helicopter-like pattern, moving slowly with his wings fluttering rapidly. Outside of the breeding season, look for these long-distance migrants in rice fields and listen for their sharp pink call notes.

Other Names

  • Tordo Charlatán (Spanish)
  • Goglu des prés (French)

Backyard Tips

If there’s breeding habitat of grassy pasture or overgrown fields near your home, Bobolinks may visit open yards to forage on seed-bearing weeds.

  • Cool Facts