Dickcissel

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Dickcissel

Conservation status
Scientific classification
Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Chordata
Class: Aves
Order: Passeriformes
Family: Cardinalidae
Genus: Spiza
Species: S. americana
Binomial name
Spiza americana
(Gmelin, 1789)

The Dickcissel, Spiza americana, is a small seed-eating bird in the family Cardinalidae. It possibly is the only member of the genus Spiza (Bonaparte, 1824).

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 juveniles 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.

They make a buzzing call in flight. From an open perch in a field, this bird's call is a sharp dick dick followed by a buzzed cissel.


A problematic form known as Spiza townsendi? was collected by John James Audubon in 1833 in Chester County, Pennsylvania, USA and the single specimen is considered unique, but whether or not it constitutes a valid species is undetermined. It may be a freak, hybrid, or a very distinct form. The specimen is distinct enough that it has been listed by some as a true (extinct) species, but this may be incorrect, as no one seems to know for certain what exactly the specimen represents. Whatever the specimen is, nothing else like it has been seen before or since.

Contents

[edit] References

[edit] External Links

[edit] Further reading

[edit] Book

  • Fretwell S. (1986). Distribution and abundance of the Dickcissel. In Johnston, R F [Editor] Current Ornithology 211-242, 1986. Plenum Press, 233 Spring Street, New York, New York. Plenum Press, London, England, UK.
  • Temple, S. A. 2002. Dickcissel (Spiza americana). In The Birds of North America, No. 703 (A. Poole and F. Gill, eds.). The Birds of North America, Inc., Philadelphia, PA.

[edit] Articles

  • Applegate RD, Flock BE & Horak GJ. (2002). Spring burning and grassland area: Effects on Henslow's sparrow (Ammodramus henslowii (Audubon)) and Dickcissel (Spiza americana (Gmelin)) in Eastern Kansas, USA. Natural Areas Journal. vol 22, no 2. p. 160-162.
  • Avery ML, Tillman EA & Laukert CC. (2001). Evaluation of chemical repellents for reducing crop damage by Dickcissels in Venezuela. International Journal of Pest Management. vol 47, no 4. p. 311-314.
  • Bakker KK, Naugle DE & Higgins KF. (2002). Incorporating landscape attributes into models for migratory grassland bird conservation. Conservation Biology. vol 16, no 6. p. 1638-1646.
  • Basili GD & Temple SA. (1999). Dickcissels and crop damage in Venezuela: Defining the problem with ecological models. Ecological Applications. vol 9, no 2. p. 732-739.
  • Berkeley LI, McCarty JP & Wolfen-Barger LL. (2004). The importance of the post-fledging period to the conservation of Dickcissels (Spiza americana). Ecological Society of America Annual Meeting Abstracts. vol 89, no 43.
  • Best LB, Campa H, III, Kemp KE, Robel RJ, Ryan MR, Savidge JA, Weeks HP, Jr. & Winterstein SR. (1997). Bird abundance and nesting in CRP fields and cropland in the Midwest: A regional approach. Wildlife Society Bulletin. vol 25, no 4. p. 864-877.
  • Bloome C. (1989). First Record of Dickcissel Spiza-Americana New-Record in the Sudbury District Ontario Canada. Ontario Birds. vol 7, no 1. p. 31-33.
  • Bock CE, Bock JH & Bennett BC. (1995). The avifauna of remnant tallgrass prairie near Boulder, Colorado. Prairie Naturalist. vol 27, no 3. p. 147-157.
  • Bollinger EK & Maddox JD. (2000). A double-brooded dickcissel. Prairie Naturalist. vol 32, no 4. p. 253-255.
  • Brauning DW, Brittingham MC, Gross DA, Leberman RC, Master TL & Mulvihill RS. (1994). Pennsylvania breeding birds of special concern: A listing rational and status update. Journal of the Pennsylvania Academy of Science. vol 68, no 1. p. 3-28.
  • Brennan SP & Schnell GD. (2005). Relationship between bird abundances and landscape characteristics: The influence of scale. Environ Monit Assess. vol 105, no 1-3. p. 209-228.
  • Bryan GG & Best LB. (1991). Bird Abundance and Species Richness in Grassed Waterways in Iowa USA Rowcrop Fields. American Midland Naturalist. vol 126, no 1. p. 90-102.
  • Bryan GG & Best LB. (1994). Avian nest density and success in grassed waterways in Iowa rowcrop fields. Wildlife Society Bulletin. vol 22, no 4. p. 583-592.
  • Bye SL, Robel RJ & Kemp KE. (2001). Effects of human presence on vocalizations of grassland birds in Kansas. Prairie Naturalist. vol 33, no 4. p. 249-256.
  • Cosens SE & Falls JB. (1984). A Comparison of Sound Propagation and Song Frequency in Temperate Marsh and Grassland Habitats. Behavioral Ecology & Sociobiology. vol 15, no 3. p. 161-170.
  • Delisle JM & Savidge JA. (1997). Avian use and vegetation characteristics of conservation reserve program fields. Journal of Wildlife Management. vol 61, no 2. p. 318-325.
  • DeVault TL, Scott PE, Bajema RA & Lima SL. (2002). Breeding bird communities of reclaimed coal-mine grasslands in the American midwest. Journal of Field Ornithology. vol 73, no 3. p. 268-275.
  • Elliott PF. (1978). Cowbird Parasitism in the Kansas USA Tall Grass Prairie. Auk. vol 95, no 1. p. 161-167.
  • Elliott PF. (1980). Evolution of Promiscuity in the Brown-Headed Cowbird Molothrus-Ater. Condor. vol 82, no 2. p. 138-141.
  • Finck EJ. (1984). Male Dickcissel Behavior in Primary and Secondary Habitats Spiza-Americana. Wilson Bulletin. vol 96, no 4. p. 672-680.
  • Fletcher RJ, Jr., Koford RR & Seaman DA. (2006). Critical demographic parameters for declining songbirds breeding in restored grasslands. Journal of Wildlife Management. vol 70, no 1. p. 145-157.
  • Fritcher SC, Rumble MA & Flake LD. (2004). Grassland bird densities in seral stages of mixed-grass prairie. J Range Manage. vol 57, no 4. p. 351-357.
  • Galligan EW, DeVault TL & Lima SL. (2006). Nesting success of grassland and savanna birds on reclaimed surface coal mines of the midwestern United States. Wilson Journal of Ornithology. vol 118, no 4. p. 537-546.
  • Harmeson JP. (1974). BREEDING ECOLOGY OF DICKCISSEL. Auk. vol 91, no 2. p. 348-359.
  • Hatch SA. (1983). Nestling Growth Relationships of Brown-Headed Cowbirds Molothrus-Ater and Dickcissels Spiza-Americana. Wilson Bulletin. vol 95, no 4. p. 669-671.
  • Hellack JJ. (1976). Phenetic Variation in the Avian Subfamily Cardinalinae. Occasional Papers of the Museum of Natural History University of Kansas. vol 57, p. 1-22.
  • Henningsen JC & Best LB. (2005). Grassland bird use of riparian filter strips in southeast Iowa. Journal of Wildlife Management. vol 69, no 1. p. 198-210.
  • Herkert JR. (1994). The effects of habitat fragmentation on midwestern grassland bird communities. Ecological Applications. vol 4, no 3. p. 461-471.
  • Herkert JR, Reinking DL, Wiedenfeld DA, Winter M, Zimmerman JL, Jensen WE, Finck EJ, Koford RR, Wolfe DH, Sherrod SK, Jenkins MA, Faaborg J & Robinson SK. (2003). Effects of prairie fragmentation on the nest success of breeding birds in the midcontinental United States. Conservation Biology. vol 17, no 2. p. 587-594.
  • Hughes JP, Robel RJ, Kemp KE & Zimmerman JL. (1999). Effects of habitat on dickcissel abundance and nest success in conservation reserve program fields in Kansas. Journal of Wildlife Management. vol 63, no 2. p. 523-529.
  • Hultquist JM & Best LB. (2001). Bird use of terraces in Iowa rowcrop fields. American Midland Naturalist. vol 145, no 2. p. 275-287.
  • Jensen WE & Cully JF, Jr. (2005). Density-dependent habitat selection by brown-headed cowbirds (Molothrus ater) in tallgrass prairie. Oecologia. vol 142, no 1. p. 136-149.
  • Jensen WE & Cully JF, Jr. (2005). Geographic variation in brown-headed cowbird (Molothrus ater) parasitism on Dickcissels (Spiza americana) in great plains tallgrass prairie. Auk. vol 122, no 2. p. 648-660.
  • Jensen WE & Finck EJ. (2004). Edge effects on nesting dickcissels (Spiza americana) in relation to edge type of remnant tallgrass prairie in Kansas. American Midland Naturalist. vol 151, no 1. p. 192-199.
  • Johnson DH & Igl LD. (1995). Contributions of the conservation reserve program to populations of breeding birds in North Dakota. Wilson Bulletin. vol 107, no 4. p. 709-718.
  • Kimberly MSW, Brian EW, Joshua JM, Mark RR & Michael WH. (2003). Effects of radio-transmitters on fecal glucocorticoid levels in captive Dickcissels. The Condor. vol 105, no 4. p. 805.
  • King JW & Savidge JA. (1995). Effects of the Conservation Reserve Program on wildlife in southeast Nebraska. Wildlife Society Bulletin. vol 23, no 3. p. 377-385.
  • Kobal SN, Payne NF & Ludwig DR. (1998). Nestling food habits of 7 grassland bird species and insect abundance in grassland habitats in northern Illinois. Transactions of the Illinois State Academy of Science. vol 91, no 1-2. p. 69-75.
  • Larkin RP, Evans WR & Diehl RH. (2002). Nocturnal flight calls of Dickcissels and Doppler radar echoes over south Texas in spring. Journal of Field Ornithology. vol 73, no 1. p. 2-8.
  • Laubach R. (1984). Breeding Birds of Sheeder Prairie Preserve West-Central Iowa USA. Proceedings of the Iowa Academy of Science. vol 91, no 4. p. 152-163.
  • Maddox JD & Bollinger EK. (2000). Male Dickcissels feed nestlings in east-central Illinois. Wilson Bulletin. vol 112, no 1. p. 153-155.
  • Manns R. (1990). Dickcissel pair in Georgia springtime. Oriole. vol 55, no 2-3. p. 50-51.
  • McCoy TD, Ryan MR, Burger LW & Kurzejeski EW. (2001). Grassland bird conservation: CP1 vs. CP2 plantings in Conservation Reserve Program fields in Missouri. American Midland Naturalist. vol 145, no 1. p. 1-17.
  • McCoy TD, Ryan MR, Kurzejeski EW & Burger LW, Jr. (1999). Conservation Reserve Program: Source or sink habitat for grassland birds in Missouri?. Journal of Wildlife Management. vol 63, no 2. p. 530-538.
  • McNair DB. (1990). Review of Proven Probable and Possible Breeding Records of the Dickcissel in Georgia and the Carolinas. Oriole. vol 55, no 1. p. 1-18.
  • Miller JR. (1978). Notes on Birds of San-Salvador Island Watlings the Bahamas. Auk. vol 95, no 2. p. 281-287.
  • Patten MA, Shochat E, Reinking DL, Wolfe DH & Sherrod SK. (2006). Habitat edge, land management, and rates of brood parasitism in tallgrass prairie. Ecological Applications. vol 16, no 2. p. 687-695.
  • Patterson MP & Best LB. (1996). Bird abundance and nesting success in Iowa CRP fields: The importance of vegetation structure and composition. American Midland Naturalist. vol 135, no 1. p. 153-167.
  • Payne NF, Kobal SN & Ludwig DR. (1998). Perch use by 7 grassland bird species in northern Illinois. Transactions of the Illinois State Academy of Science. vol 91, no 1-2. p. 77-83.
  • Peer BD, Robinson SK & Herkert JR. (2000). Egg rejection by cowbird hosts in grasslands. Auk. vol 117, no 4. p. 892-901.
  • Powell A. (2006). Effects of prescribed burns and bison (Bos Bison) grazing on breeding bird abundances in tallgrass prairie. Auk. vol 123, no 1. p. 183-197.
  • Pranty B, Basili GD & Robinson HP. (2002). First breeding record of the Dickcissel in Florida. Florida Field Naturalist. vol 30, no 2. p. 36-39.
  • Reinking DL. (2005). Fire regimes and avian responses in the central tallgrass prairie. Studies in Avian Biology. vol 30, p. 116-126.
  • Rivers JW, Althoff DP, Gipson PS & Pontius JS. (2003). Evaluation of a reproductive index to estimate dickcissel reproductive success. Journal of Wildlife Management. vol 67, no 1. p. 136-143.
  • Robel RJ, Hughes JP, Keane TD & Kemp KE. (2003). Do artificial nests reveal meaningful patterns of predation in Kansas grasslands?. Southwestern Naturalist. vol 48, no 3. p. 460-464.
  • Scott PE, DeVault TL, Bajema RA & Lima SL. (2002). Grassland vegetation and bird abundances on reclaimed midwestern coal mines. Wildlife Society Bulletin. vol 30, no 4. p. 1006-1014.
  • Sealy SG. (1976). 1973 DICKCISSEL INVASION OF SOUTHERN MANITOBA. Can Field-Nat. vol 90, no 4. p. 464-465.
  • Smith D. (2006). Dickcissel at Mossbank, SK. Blue Jay. vol 64, no 3.
  • Swanson DA. (1996). Nesting ecology and nesting habitat requirements of Ohio's grassland-nesting birds: A literature review. Ohio Fish & Wildlife Report. vol 0, no 13. p. 3-60.
  • Sweeney RJ, Lovette IJ & Harvey EL. (2004). Evolutionary variation in feather waxes of passerine birds. Auk. vol 121, no 2. p. 435-445.
  • Swengel SR. (1996). Management responses of three species of declining sparrows in tallgrass prairie. Bird Conservation International. vol 6, no 3. p. 241-253.
  • Swengel SR & Swengel AB. (1999). Correlations in abundance of grassland songbirds and prairie butterflies. Biological Conservation. vol 90, no 1. p. 1-11.
  • Swengel SR & Swengel AB. (2001). Relative effects of litter and management on grassland bird abundance in Missouri, USA. Bird Conservation International. vol 11, no 2. p. 113-128.
  • Tamplin JW, Demasters JW, Remsen JV & Jr. (1993). Biochemical and morphometric relationships among some members of the Cardinalinae. Wilson Bulletin. vol 105, no 1. p. 93-113.
  • Twedt DJ, Wilson RR, Henne-Kerr JL & Grosshuesch DA. (2002). Avian response to bottomland hardwood reforestation: The first 10 years. Restoration Ecology. vol 10, no 4. p. 645-655.
  • Walk JW & Warner RE. (2000). Grassland management for the conservation of songbirds in the Midwestern USA. Biological Conservation. vol 94, no 2. p. 165-172.
  • Walk JW, Wentworth K, Kershner EL, Bollinger EK & Warner RE. (2004). Renesting decisions and annual fecundity of female Dickcissels (Spiza americana) in Illinois. Auk. vol 121, no 4. p. 1250-1261.
  • Wells KMS, Washburn BE, Millspaugh JJ, Ryan MR & Hubbard MW. (2003). Effects of radio-transmitters on fecal glucocorticoid levels in captive Dickcissels. Condor. vol 105, no 4. p. 805-810.
  • Wiens JA & Rotenberry JT. (1980). Patterns of Morphology and Ecology in Grassland and Shrub Steppe Bird Populations. Ecological Monographs. vol 50, no 3. p. 287-308.
  • Winter M. (1999). Nesting biology of Dickcissels and Henslow's Sparrows in southwestern Missouri prairie fragments. Wilson Bulletin. vol 111, no 4. p. 515-527.
  • Winter M & Faaborg J. (1999). Patterns of area sensitivity in grassland-nesting birds. Conservation Biology. vol 13, no 6. p. 1424-1436.
  • Winter M, Johnson DH & Faaborg J. (2000). Evidence for edge effects on multiple levels in tallgrass prairie. Condor. vol 102, no 2. p. 256-266.
  • Zimmerman JL. (1982). Nesting Success of Dickcissels Spiza-Americana in Preferred and Less Preferred Habitats. Auk. vol 99, no 2. p. 292-298.
  • Zimmerman JL. (1983). Cowbird Molothrus-Ater Parasitism of Dickcissels Spiza-Americana in Different Habitats and at Different Nest Densities. Wilson Bulletin. vol 95, no 1. p. 7-22.
  • Zimmerman JL. (1984). Nest Predation and Its Relationship to Habitat and Nest Density in Dickcissels Spiza-Americana. Condor. vol 86, no 1. p. 68-72.
  • Zimmerman JL. (1996). Comparison of water consumption between two grassland emberizids. Prairie Naturalist. vol 27, no 4. p. 215-221.