Watercolor portrait of Bobolink (Dolichonyx oryzivorus)

Bobolink

Dolichonyx oryzivorus
Long-distance migrant Tall grasslands, wet meadows, and overgr… Prairie Songbird Song

Learn to identify the Bobolink by ear. Master the "bubbly, tumbling R2-D2 jumble" phrase and tell it apart from similar species.

“bubbly, tumbling R2-D2 jumble”

What the Bobolink sounds like

Breeding male is striking: black underparts and face with a buffy-yellow hind crown, and white back and rump (often likened to wearing a tuxedo backwards). Female and nonbreeding male are pale buffy and brown, heavily streaked, resembling sparrows. Both sexes have short conical bills and pointed wings.

“bubbly, tumbling R2-D2 jumble”

How to tell it apart

Listen for:Male's song is a long, bubbling, rambling warble with mix of sharp high notes and buzzy low notes, often likened to R2-D2-like or a gurgling, tumbling sound. This song is given in flight or from perches over fields. Calls include a sharp "pink" note. Often written as “bubbly, tumbling R2-D2 jumble”.
Don't confuse with:The Female Red-winged Blackbird — female red-winged blackbird is darker overall with a more pointed bill and shows reddish tinge in wings.

Lessons featuring the Bobolink

Ready to test your ear? Practice identifying the Bobolink's sounds in this interactive in-app lesson.

Blackbird Karaoke Night lesson habitat
Blackbird Karaoke Night
Tier 10 · Going Deeper
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Where you'll hear it

Tall grasslands, wet meadows, and overgrown pastures. Favors damp meadows and prairies with dense grasses; often nests in hayfields and alfalfa fields when native prairies are unavailable.

Arrives on breeding grounds in late spring. Males perform flight displays and continuous bubbling songs in spring and early summer. By late summer, molts into dull plumage before migrating. Undertakes one of the longest migrations of any songbird (~20,000 km round-trip annually).

Similar species

Female Red-winged Blackbird

Female Red-winged Blackbird is darker overall with a more pointed bill and shows reddish tinge in wings.

Bobolink song FAQ

What does a Bobolink sound like?
Male's song is a long, bubbling, rambling warble with mix of sharp high notes and buzzy low notes, often likened to R2-D2-like or a gurgling, tumbling sound. This song is given in flight or from perches over fields. Calls include a sharp "pink" note. Listen for the "bubbly, tumbling R2-D2 jumble" phrase.
How do I tell a Bobolink from a Female Red-winged Blackbird by sound?
Female Red-winged Blackbird: Female Red-winged Blackbird is darker overall with a more pointed bill and shows reddish tinge in wings.; Meadowlarks are larger with yellow underparts and different head pattern. Grasshopper Sparrow is smaller, shorter-tailed, with flat head profile..
When is the best time to hear a Bobolink?
Arrives on breeding grounds in late spring. Males perform flight displays and continuous bubbling songs in spring and early summer. By late summer, molts into dull plumage before migrating. Undertakes one of the longest migrations of any songbird (~20,000 km round-trip annually).