Bobolink
Common Name:Bobolink
Class:Aves
Order:Passeriformes
Family:Icteridae
Genus:Dolichonyx
Species:Dolichonyx
oryzivorus
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P hoto:
M. Noonan |
TAXONOMY
The Bobolink is a member of
the Blackbird family, but with a more sparrow-like bill
than other Blackbirds. Bobolinks are dichromatic which
means that males and females have different colorations. During
the breeding season, the male Bobolink has a
prominent yellow on the back of his head, white
scapulars, lower back and rump. The Bobolink is the only songbird who is solid
black below and largely white above. This pattern makes
the bird obvious in his surroundings where the black
will stand out against the sky and the white is easy to
spot on the ground. The female and the
non-breeding male look very similar; they are
straw colored with dark stripes on the crown and back.
Otherwise, they look very sparrow-like. Bobolinks are 15-21 cm
(6-8 in) in size with a wingspan of 27 cm (11 in).
They tend to weigh about 29-56 g
(1.02-1.98 ounces).

Photo: M. Noonan
HABITAT/DIET
The Bobolink is found mainly
in the tall grasslands of the northern United States and
Canada during the breeding season. They are commonly
found in hay fields as well. Their population is
declining, however, because early mowing of these hay
fields destroys nests. The Bobolink is extraordinary in
that they migrate to the vast grasslands of southwestern
Brazil, Paraguay, and northern Argentina during the
months of November through March. The Bobolink feeds on
a variety of larval and adult insects and spiders. They
also consume plant material such as seeds, rice, oats, corn, and other
small grains.
P hoto: M. Noonan
BEHAVIOR
The Bobolink is polygymous,
and a male will have several simultaneous pair bonds
with multiple females. The males will display to
multiple females with a circling flight, helicoptering
over his territory chirping and whistling while flying. The female will make her nest on
the ground, the outer wall composed of dead grass and
the inside lining of fine grass or sedges. A clutch size
is usually 4-6 eggs. The eggs are usually a pale
reddish-brown with irregular dark splotches. The female
Bobolink will incubate these eggs for 11-13 days. The Bobolink usually lays one clutch a
year, but have been known to rebuild nests and lay eggs
if the first nest is lost. The young are able to leave
the nest 10-14 days after they hatch.

Photo: M. Noonan
WHERE TO FIND THEM
The Bobolink can be seen in
large fields with very tall grasses during the summer. Usually in very rural
areas in fields that have been abandoned for some time.
Iroquois National Wildlife Refuge is a good place to
spot the Bobolink mainly because these grasslands are
not mowed and are left fallow for wildlife.

Photo: M. Noonan
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