Bobolink

The Bobolink, Dolichonyx oryzivorus, is a small blackbird, the only member of genus Dolichonyx.

Adults have a short finch-like bill. The adult male is mainly black with a creamy nape and white scapulars, lower back and rump. The adult female is mainly light brown with black streaks on the back and flanks and dark stripes on the head; their wings and tail are darker.

Their breeding habitat is open grassy fields, especially hay fields, across North America. The nest is located on the ground.

These birds migrate to Argentina and Paraguay. They often migrate in flocks, feeding on cultivated grains and rice. These long distance migrants occur as very rare vagrants to western Europe.

These birds forage on or near the ground. They mainly eat seeds and insects.

The male sings a bright bubbly song in flight.

The numbers of these birds are declining due to loss of habitat. Although hay fields are suitable nesting habitat, fields which are harvested multiple times in a season may not provide sufficient opportunity for the young birds to fledge. There were many more of these birds when horses were the primary mode of transportation, requiring larger supplies of hay.