Bobolink

This is one of my favourite birds that I never knew existed until a few years after we moved to the country in Central Iowa.

The male's song is amazing as it flies around declaring territory and attracting females. Words can hardly explain the melody... Arthur Cleveland Bent wrote, "a bubbling delirium of ecstatic music that flows from the gifted throat of the bird...." Another describes it as "banjo-like twangs: bobolink bobolink spink spank spink." Just go to All About Birds and find the song and see how well you can put it into words.

They have nested in our small pasture in the past, but did not this last summer. Some have come by for feeding and rest, so a small consolation for us as we were able to get better photos of the birds.

T... read moreheir breeding habitat has been destroyed at an alarming rate by early hay harvests, causing their numbers to shrink dramatically. Because they will now nest in less than ideal places, they are also put at a greater risk of predation by such creatures as feral cats, snakes, etc.