ODNR Division of Wildlife - A to Z Species Guide - Dickcissel

Dickcissel

Historically, agricultural practices have brought large-scale landscape changes and caused the destruction of many natural habitats. However, deforestation allowed this grassland species to spread eastward in the 19th century. Despite the decline of native tall and mixed grass prairies, breeding dickcissels remain most numerous on the eastern and central Great Plains.

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Dickcissel

Spiza americana

At-a-Glance

• Incubation: 12-13 days

• Clutch Size: 3-5 eggs

• Young Fledge: 7-10 days after hatching

• Typical Foods: insects and seeds

Description
The male dickcissel looks somewhat like a miniature Eastern meadowlark, except it has a thicker bill and a patch of chestnut color on its wing. The female looks much like a female house sparrow, but has a yellowish throat and breast.

Habitat and Habits
A grassland and prairie species that reaches peak abundance in the western Great Plains, dickcissels are notoriously cyclical from year to year in Ohio. Our state is at the eastern limits of their range, and a favored locale might have a few dozen pairs one year and no birds at all the following year. Their song is imitative of the name; a mechanical, chattering dik-dik-dik-ciss ciss ciss.

Reproduction and Care of the Young
The nest is cup of grass located on or near the ground. The eggs are pale blue in color.