CONFIRMATION STATUS: A male dickcissel was observed on Sunday, May 7th, 2017, the first sighting of a dickcissel at Sky Meadows.

 

IDENTIFICATION

• Length:

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Adult male: Breeding (Alternate) Plumage

• Streaked grayish head

• Yellow stripe above eyes

• Chin white

• Thin black stripes at sides of throat

• Black throat patch extending onto breast in a point

• Chest bright yellow

• Belly light gray

• Back brown with black streaks

• Tail and wings blackish

• Chestnut shoulder patch

 

Adult male: Nonbreeding (Basic) Plumage

• Black bib partly concealed by pale whitish to yellowish feather tips.

 

Adult female:

• Duller face and head pattern, with light yellow stripe over eyes

• Throat whitish, with faint, thin dark stripes at sides

• Breast dull yellow

• Belly light gray

• Thin dark streaks on flanks

• Back brown with black streaks

• Wings and tail blackish

• Pale chestnut shoulder patch

 

ImmatureDescription:

• Immature similar to adult female, but duller.

• Yearling male with little black on chest.

 

Similar species:

• Female House Sparrow similar to female Dickcissel, but is stockier, lacks the thin black streaks on the sides of the throat and any streaks on flanks, has a shorter, blunter, yellowish, not bluish bill, rounded wings, and a broader, less yellow eyestripe.

• Meadowlarks have yellow chests with a black "V," but are much larger and stockier, with short tails with white outer tail feathers, and long, thin bills.

 

LIFE HISTORY

Migration Status: Neotropical migrant

Breeding Habitat: Grassland

Nest Location: Ground-low nesting

Nest Type: Open-cup

Clutch Size: 3-5

Length of Incubation: 12-13 days

Days to Fledge: 9(7-10)

Number of Broods:1-2

Diet:

Mostly: Insects

Lesser Quantities of: Seeds

 

SKY MEADOWS DISTRIBUTION/SEASONAL OCCURRENCE

 

Relative abundance and seasonal occurrence are indicated in red below.

 

Relative abundance
     C - Common: Likely to be present in good numbers in appropriate habitat and season.
     U - Uncommon: May be present in appropriate habitat and season, often in low
            numbers.
     O - Occassional: Found in appropriate habitat perhaps only a few times per season,
            sometimes low numbers.
     R - Rare: May not be recorded every year.
     Acc - Accidental: Recorded once or twice, may not be expected again for a long time.

 

Seasonal Occurrence
      Sp - Spring: March, April, May R
      Su - Summer: June, July, August
      Fall: September, October, November

      Winter: December, January, February

 

 

 

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