Bobolink

The Music of Nature

This video celebrates the amazing song of the Bobolink, described by one author as "a mad, wreckless song fantasia—an outbreak of pentup irrepressible glee," and by another as "a bubbling delirium of ecstatic music that flows from the gifted throat of the bird like sparkling champagne."

The Bobolink is a member of the Blackbird family. It frequents grassy meadows of the northern states and adjacent Canada. Also referred to as "skunk blackbird," the male has striking black-and-white plumage, making identification easy. Females are a buffy yellow-brown.

© 2010 Lang Elliott & Bob McGuire
The Music of Nature
musicofnature.org

Uploaded on Jun 7, 2011

Bobolink, Dolichonyx oryzivorus (Linnaeus, 1758). The Breeding range of Bobolinks extends into eastern Oregon, including Baker County. This bird was one of perhaps three males hopefully Breeding in a hay field of Timothy in Richland, OR, on June 3rd, 2011. According to ODFW (Oregon Dept. of Fish & Wildlife), "due to land use change and other factors, this grassland bird species is declining in Oregon." I can tell you that it is not very often seen in any event, but it is also sometimes observed here in the Baker Valley.

Published on Jun 9, 2012

The Bobolink is fairly common.It can be found in hayfields, weedy meadows and in migration, marshes. The male is a distinctive bird. It is completely black below, mostly white above. The hindneck is buff but fades to white near the end of summer. The female is a rich buffy sparrow-like bird with dark stripes on crown, back, and sides. Note the sharply pointed tail feathers.

The song is a bubbling "banjo-like" tune given in hovering flight. The flight call is a soft "ink".

Published on Jun 11, 2012

This male Bobolink was defending his patch of pasture against two other males.Their song makes quite an impression for sure! The Bobolinks and other grassland birds coexist with grass fed cattle on this farm. © 2012 Garth McElroy. www.wildbirdvideos.com

License at http://www.paya.com/videos/139303