Photo: CheepShot / CC BY 2.0 (Wikimedia Commons)
Dickcissel
Spiza americana
Dickcissel (Spiza americana) — Songbirds & Perching Birds of North America.
Found across 19 guides in our atlas — open any for the full checklist, photos and what's around right now.
The Dickcissel (Spiza americana) is a member of the Cardinalidae family found in Central America & Caribbean, North America and South America. Adults weigh 26.2 g. The IUCN Red List lists it as Least Concern.
Conservation status
IUCN Red List (opens in a new tab)Widespread and abundant — not currently at risk.
Where it fits
- Class Aves
- Order Passeriformes
- Family Cardinalidae Cardinals & Allies
- Genus Spiza
- Species americana
Where it lives
Central USA to Venezuela and Colombia
Quick facts
- Weight
- 26.2 g
- Diet
- Omnivores
- Family
- Cardinalidae
- Order
- Passeriformes
- Habitat
- Grassland & open country
How to identify
Similar birds
Least Concern
Least Concern
Least Concern
Least Concern
Biology & behaviour
Diet
The Dickcissel is a omnivore — it takes a broad, omnivorous diet of both plant and animal foods.
Behaviour
A bird of open grassland, it forages mainly on the ground.
Migration
The Dickcissel is migratory, making regular seasonal journeys between its breeding and non-breeding ranges.
The Dickcissel (Spiza americana) belongs to the Cardinalidae family of the order Passeriformes. It occurs naturally across Central America & Caribbean, North America and South America. Its distribution covers NA, MA, SA c USA to Venezuela and Colombia.
It is a small bird. Adults weighs around 26.2 g, with a wing length of about 7.8 cm and a tail of around 5.6 cm.
The IUCN Red List currently assesses it as Least Concern. That category covers species that remain widespread and reasonably abundant in the wild.
The species has a mapped global range of roughly 3.5 million km².
Songs & calls
Frequently asked questions
How big is the Dickcissel?
The Dickcissel is a small bird that weighs around 26.2 g.
Where does the Dickcissel live?
The Dickcissel is found across Central America & Caribbean, North America and South America with a range covering NA, MA, SA c USA to Venezuela and Colombia, where it favours open grassland, scrub and lightly vegetated country.
What family does the Dickcissel belong to?
The Dickcissel (Spiza americana) belongs to the Cardinalidae family, in the order Passeriformes.
What does the Dickcissel eat?
The Dickcissel is a omnivore — it takes a broad, omnivorous diet of both plant and animal foods.
Does the Dickcissel migrate?
The Dickcissel is migratory, making regular seasonal journeys between its breeding and non-breeding ranges.
Is the Dickcissel endangered?
The IUCN Red List currently assesses it as Least Concern That category covers species that remain widespread and reasonably abundant in the wild.
What sound does the Dickcissel make?
1 real field recording of the Dickcissel — including its call — can be played in the Songs & calls section on this page, credited to the recordist who captured it.
How large is the Dickcissel's range?
The Dickcissel has a mapped global range of about 3.5 million km².
Conservation
Every bird benefits from bird-safe windows, native plants, and keeping cats indoors. Small changes at home add up to real protection.
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Guides for this bird
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