Dolichonyx – Bobolink

One of North America’s most intriguing grassland songbirds — a long-distance traveler with a bubbly, metallic song and a plumage change so dramatic it almost feels like two different birds. In spring and summer, males arrive on breeding grounds across northern prairies, hayfields, and wet meadows, wearing a striking pattern: a black body, white back, and a pale yellow nape that looks a bit like someone put his colors on upside-down. Females and non-breeding males, meanwhile, are buff-brown and streaked, blending perfectly into tall grasses. This distinct difference helps males stand out during territorial displays while females remain safely hidden while nesting.

Bobolinks are lively aerial performers. During breeding season, males rise into the air and flutter over fields while delivering a rolling, tinkling song, often described as effervescent or robotic — like water bubbling through tiny bells mixed with electronic chirps. Their flight display and constant singing make them one of the most charismatic sights (and sounds) of summer meadows. They build low, concealed nests on the ground among dense grasses, a strategy that once worked well when North America’s prairies stretched wide, but now depends heavily on farmland and hayfields.

One of the Bobolink’s most remarkable traits is its extreme migration. Every year, these small birds travel more than 12,000 miles round-trip between their breeding grounds in North America and wintering areas in Argentina, Paraguay, and Bolivia. Along the way, they stop in Caribbean and South American grasslands, forming flocks and feeding heavily to fuel their journey. They are one of the few songbirds in the world that molt twice a year, cycling through contrasting plumages as they shift between breeding and non-breeding seasons.