Dickcissel
Scientific Classification
Kingdom: Animalia Phylum: Chordata Class: Aves Order: Passeriformes Family: Cardinalidae Genus: Spiza Species: americana
Binomial name
Spiza americana

The Dickcissel, Spiza americana, is a small seed-eating bird in the family Cardinalidae.

These birds have a large pale bill, a yellow line over the eye, brownish upperparts with black streaks on the back, dark wings, a rust patch on the shoulder and light underparts. Adult males resemble a sparrow-sized Eastern Meadowlark; they have a black throat patch, a yellow breast and grey cheeks and crown. Females and immatures are brownish on the cheeks and crown and are somewhat similar in appearance to House Sparrows; they have streaked flanks.

Their breeding habitat is fields in mid-western North America. They nest on or near the ground in dense grasses. Males may have more than one mate.

These birds migrate in large flocks to southern Mexico, Central America and northern South America.

Dickcissels forage on the ground or in fields. They mainly eat insects and seeds. Outside of the nesting season, they usually feed in flocks. They are considered a pest by farmers in some regions because flocks can consume large quantities of cultivated grains.

Although this bird was originally quite common along the Atlantic coast of the United States, only small numbers occur there now.