The male Dickcissel resembles a big sparrow or miniature meadowlark, with a black, V-shaped throat patch contrasting its bright yellow breast. The female is duller overall, lacking the throat patch and having only a faint hint of yellow on the chest. Both sexes have a large, thick bill resembling that of a Northern Cardinal or Rose-breasted Grosbeak. 

This species was once known as the “Black-throated Bunting,” although it's not closely related to either the “Old World” bunting species of Eurasia or “New World” buntings in the genus Passerina, such as the Blue Grosbeak or Indigo Bunting. In fact, the Dickcissel continues to confound ornithologists' efforts to find a perfect perch for this species on the “family tree” of songbirds.

A Genus All Its Own

While the Dickcissel is currently included in the cardinal family (Cardinalidae), it continues to stump scientists trying to determine its closest relatives. In the past, it had been considered part of the New World sparrow and blackbird families. For now, it is considered a monotypic species in a genus (Spiza) of its own, with no close relatives. 

This bird is named for its loud, persistent song. The typical song sounds like “dick-dick-ciss-ciss-ciss,” but there are variations. The Dickcissel's short, sharp flight call sounds somewhat like an electric buzzer.

Listen to the Dickcissel's song:

And the call here:

Part-time Granivores

Dickcissels forage on the ground, or by perching on stalks to pluck seeds. During the breeding season, they are omnivorous, taking seeds and also spiders and insects including grasshoppers. During winter and while migrating, they switch to a predominantly granivorous (grain-eating) diet.  

Managing Multiple Mates

Like the Red-winged Blackbird, the Dickcissel is a polygynous species, with one male mating with multiple females. A male Dickcissel will defend a territory that contains both suitable nesting and foraging areas, and may have up to six females nesting in his territory, although most attract only one or two. Males with territories containing the best nest sites attract more females. 

Male Dickcissels continue to defend their territories while the female(s) that take up residence select nest sites, build the nests, then brood and raise the young. The nest, a bulky cup of weeds and grass stems, is built on or slightly above the ground, in dense vegetation or in a small shrub or tree. The female incubates her clutch of three to six pale-blue eggs for 12 to 13 days. After the nestlings hatch, she feeds them a variety of invertebrates until they are ready to leave the nest. 

The Dickcissel breeds in the central U.S. and far south-central Canada, then migrates to Mexico, Central America, and northern South America for the winter. This bird is known to be a notorious wanderer, appearing in large numbers in suitable breeding habitats one year, only to be absent the next.  

On migration and during the winter, the Dickcissel forms large flocks, some so large that they may contain 10- to 30 percent of the global population. These large flocks can damage rice and sorghum crops, and farmers use noise-making aids including cannons, bottle rockets, or banging pots and pans to scare flocks away from their fields. A few farmers deliberately poison Dickcissels during the winter, although many conservation groups have worked with farmers to find alternatives to poisoning.

Work to Keep Dickcissels Singing

While the overall Dickcissel population is still large and likely stable overall, the species has shown significant declines in many states. Like other grassland species such as the Henslow's Sparrow and Loggerhead Shrike, the Dickcissel has been impacted by habitat loss and pesticide use. Dickcissels also risk collision with towers, turbines, and glass during their nocturnal migrations.

ABC is working with landowners, agencies, and a variety of programs, including Migratory Bird Joint Ventures, to conserve habitat for Dickcissels. Our BirdScapes program, which aims to restore breeding, wintering, and stopover habitat for migratory birds, provides another boost for this species. 

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