Dickcissel

About the Dickcissel

Also known as: Black-throated Bunting, Dickzissel

The Dickcissel is a prairie bird that breeds across parts of central North America. These little sparrow-like birds migrate south to parts of Central and South America during the winter months.

Breeding male Dickcissels are colorful with yellow, rust, black and white all featuring in their plumage. In their color pattern they somewhat resemble another grassland bird, the Eastern Meadowlark.

Dickcissels feed primarly on insects and seeds. They are named for their unique song, which sounds like it is saying "dick! dick! ciss ciss ciss."

Dickcissel Photos

Details & Statistics

Added to Birdorable

Hatched 30 November 2011

Scientific Name

Spiza americana

Order:

Passeriformes

Family:

Cardinalidae

Genus:

Spiza

Species:

S. americana

Bird Family

Tanagers, Buntings & Cardinals

Conservation Status

Least Concern (as of 20 March 2020)

Least Concern (LC)
Near Threatened (NT)
Vulnerable (VU)
Endangered (EN)
Critically Endangered (CR)
Extinct in the Wild (EW)
Extinct (EX)

Source: IUCN Red List

Measurements

Length:

6.25 inches

(15.9 cm)

Wingspan:

9.75 inches

(24.8 cm)

Weight:

.95 ounces

(26.9 grams)

Range

North America Central America Caribbean South America United States (East)

Conservation

The Dickcissel is listed as Least Concern on the IUCN Red List and was last assessed in 2012 by BirdLife International. This species has an extremely large range, and hence does not approach the thresholds for Vulnerable under the range size criterion (Extent of Occurrence <20,000 km2 combined with a declining or fluctuating range size, habitat extent/quality, or population size and a small number of locations or severe fragmentation). The population trend appears to be stable, and hence the species does not approach the thresholds for Vulnerable under the population trend criterion (>30% decline over ten years or three generations). The population size is extremely large, and hence does not approach the thresholds for Vulnerable under the population size criterion (<10,000 mature individuals with a continuing decline estimated to be >10% in ten years or three generations, or with a specified population structure). For these reasons the species is evaluated as Least Concern.