Species › Birds › Dickcissel

Dickcissel

Spiza americana

CommonBird
Illustration of Dickcissel (Spiza americana)

The Dickcissel is an abundant grassland bird whose sharp, electric 'dick-dick-CISSEL' song is a fixture of Great Plains meadows and hayfields in summer. The male resembles a miniature meadowlark with its yellow breast and black bib. Populations fluctuate dramatically year to year, and the wintering flocks of millions in Venezuela face significant persecution as an agricultural pest.

Habitat
Tallgrass and mixed-grass prairies, hayfields, and grain fields
Diet
Seeds, grasshoppers, and other insects
How common
Common

Best time to see a Dickcissel

The best time to see a Dickcissel is April–June, when about 72% of U.S. sightings happen, based on 14,022 research-grade iNaturalist observations.

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