This distinctive looking bird is called a Dickcissel and it sings it’s name like this: dick, dick, cis, cis, cis (and variations on this, all in a very raspy voice). You can listen to it sing by clicking here:-the recording was made by a young man I know, Andrew Spencer, who has made recordings of many birds [http://www.xeno-canto.org/license #13798 , licensed under Creative Commons]
Dickcissels really get into their singing as the photo above shows. They are historically birds of prairie grasslands and are found in central U.S. states (and a small section of Canada) where they now have adapted to hay fields and weed patches since much of our prairies have been converted to other uses. They used to breed in East Coast farming areas which have mostly been replaced by development but are sometimes seen on there during migration. They winter in very southern locations in Texas and along the southern Gulf Coast but sometimes are found in more northern areas along with House Sparrows at residential feeders (so check the sparrows at your feeder in the winter but be aware they are not as colorful).
The Dickcissels in all of these photos are males and they are distinguished from females by the black bib on their chests, chestnut patches on their shoulders and bright yellow stripes around their eyes, the last two features are very prominent in the photo above (check out the bird’s tongue that is partially showing there too). Females look more like House Sparrows but with yellow on their breasts, throats and around their eyes like the males though lighter in color.
Have you ever seen a Dickcissel?
Have you heard a Dickcissel sing?
