Dickcissel Identification

The Four Keys to ID

• Size & Shape

  Compact and sparrowlike, with a full chest, a large, thick bill, and a relatively short tail.

  Relative Size

  Slightly larger than a Song Sparrow, about the same size as a House Sparrow.

  sparrow-sized or smaller

  Measurements

  • Both Sexes
  • • Length: 5.5-6.3 in (14-16 cm)
    • Weight: 0.9-1.4 oz (25.6-38.4 g)
    • Wingspan: 9.8-10.2 in (24.8-26 cm)

  © Evan Lipton / Macaulay Library

• Color Pattern

  Adult males are grayish on the head with a yellow face and chest, crossed with a bold black V. The back is brown and gray, with warm reddish-brown shoulders. Females have a similar but more subdued pattern and lack the black V on the throat. Immatures are browner, without the cool gray or bright yellow tones; note the broad eyebrow stripe and neat dark malar (mustache) stripe.

• Behavior

  Dickcissels perch on stalks or shrubs (sometimes fences) to pluck seeds. They also walk or hop on the ground, foraging for seeds.
• Habitat

  In all seasons Dickcissels are most commonly found in tall grasslands, including prairies, hayfields, lightly grazed pastures, and roadsides.