Photos and Videos for Bobolink, All About Birds, Cornell Lab of Ornithology

Breeding male

A small songbird with a large flat head, a short neck, and a short tail. Breeding males are black below and black and white above with a yellowish patch on the back of the head.

Female/nonbreeding male

Females and nonbreeding males are warm buffy brown, with bold brown stripes on the crown and dark brown streaking on the back and flanks. The bill is pinkish.

Breeding male

Males sing from perches just above the tops of the grass, or during display flights. Song is bubbly and rambling, with a mixture of sharp high notes and buzzy low pitches.

Breeding male

Long-bodied with a short tail and flat head. From behind breeding males have a white rump, white shoulders, and a yellowish patch on the back of the head.

Breeding male

Rather big headed and short necked. Breeding males are entirely black below with a straw colored patch on the back of the head.

Breeding male

Males sing while flying low over fields with exaggerated, fluttery wingbeats.

Female/nonbreeding male

Small songbird with a pointed bill, flat head, and short tail. Females/nonbreeding birds are warm brown below with streaking on the flanks. Note pinkish bill, unstreaked nape, and dark eyeline.

Female/nonbreeding male

Females/nonbreeding males have bold buffy and brown streaks down the back, but have an unstreaked nape. Note dark eyeline and brown stripes on the crown.