6.25 inches long. The Dickcissel is a small sized sparrow-like bird with a rusty shoulder patch and a thick pale bill. The back is gray-brown with black streaks. There is a yellow and white eyebrow and a yellow and white malar streak. The belly and undertail coverts are grayish-white. The adult male Dickcissel has a gray crown, cheek, and nape. The breast is yellow with a white chin and black throat. The wings are black with gray-brown edges. The adult female is similar to the male but does not have the black throat.
The Dickcissel a locally common summer breeder in the Omaha area that may occasionally be seen in the Forest from late April through mid October.
The appearance of the Dickcissel can remind some one of a small Meadowlark. It is one of the most typical and abundant breeding birds of North American prairie grasslands. As natural grasslands have been largely replaced by agriculture, it seems to have adapted well to many secondary habitats, and even thrives in some agricultural landscapes. The song is a staccato “dick, dick, dick-cissel”. The call is an insect-like “bzzrrt”.
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