Thursday, June 14, 2012

Thinking of Bobolinking

There were lots of yellow birds and blue birds, brown birds and clown birds in Pennsylvania. It was a great trip and, all tallies in, I saw twenty-two new bird species. It is difficult to pick one bird-related highpoint from Maria's and my trip to the northeast, but few birds provided as satisfying a sighting as the mythical Bobolinks.


An enigmatic, backwards-seeming creature, the Bobolink was only confirmed to exist a few years ago. Until recently, most people reporting these birds were dismissed as madmen, hoaxsters, or visually impaired. Even when photographs and recordings of these birds started to surface, they were dismissed as grainy shots of leucistic, balding Red-winged Blackbirds:


But birders are a determined people. Despite forcible government suppression and a media black-out (notice how there hasn't been a single mainstream news story about this species!) they kept hope alive. When a Bobolink finally crashed into one of the White House windows, the bird's existence could be publicly denied no more.

But why? Why was there such resistance to confirming this species? As it turns out, Bobolinks aren't all that uncommon or hard to find. They can be found happily bobolinking in fields and flatlands throughout much of the eastern United States at points throughout the spring and summer.

 Rural Pennsylvania is not exactly off-the-map

Perhaps it's because the Bobolink is such a dumbfounding creature. There is something inexplicably backwards about the male Bobolinks. Their whole front is black. Is there any other bird like that, that isn't also entirely black? And what's with these weird haircuts, all the blond in the back? These may seem like trivial reasons to deny the legitimate existence of a species, but hey the only reason scientists won't recognize Bigfoot is because he doesn't wear shoes.

I've read that the reversed counter-shading on Bobolinks (normal counter-shading means birds tend to be dark on their backs and paler on their fronts) helps the males stand out in their grassy habitats, in essence helping the females find them. 

It's possible that my whole anecdote is erroneous, but whatever the true case may be with the Bobolink, they're established now (though they are, unfortunately, declining in some areas). I found about a dozen of these interesting birds at a Bobolink meet n' greet hosted at Stroud Preserve in West Chester, PA. It seemed like the first time our socializing for some of the males, and they were too busy with their nervous eating to work up the guts and actually talk to any of the shy females. 

A real charmer, isn't he?

Then again, some of the females seemed preoccupied with the vittles too. It is ostensibly possible that the large gawking biped made them uncomfortable, but I was wearing a tuxedo and I had shaved the back of my head, so I should've blended right in...


Like so many proms and socials, this one may have been a let down for the Bobolinks. I'm sure they've since hit it off, and I can say I certainly left the first get-together very happy.


Bobolinks are great migrators, moving between Brazil and the the American northeast every year. This year I migrated to meet them too. These curious critters provided one of the birding highlights of the 2012 year!

12 comments:

  1. I didn't believe in Bobolinks either, but now I'm glad the real story is out. I had to wait until I moved to a Plains state to see one with black in its plumage. You got some very nice views. So far I've not been able to get very close to them.

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    1. Having been regarded with such cynicism for so long, the Bobolinks are now a little wary of people it seems. I'm glad you got some good looks at them Ken, and in their proper breeding plumage.

      I had to do a fair bit of uncomfortable kneeling and crawling to get close to these Bobolinks, but I was very pleased just to find them. Thanks for stopping by Ken.

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    2. Interesting report. I've never heard about these birds and now I understand why:) You are correct when you say that the coloring is all backwards.....I did a double take because the coloring was off. Glad you shared this story and pics. It also sounds like a lot of fun meeting up with others who celebrate the bobolinks:)

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    3. It's a pretty unique bird alright, one that definitely is worth a trip to see!

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  2. When I was in Idaho last week, I was delighted to find three male Bobolinks and two females in the fallow-fields - now tall grass prairie near rivers, marsh, and creeks. Three years ago, we found solo male. Last year people saw three Bobolinks there. Now this year five, and it appears they are nesting. The habitat looks much like you PA photos so I can see why the Bobolinks feel at home.

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    1. That is great news Robert. Idaho seems like a great place to summer for people and birds, and I'm glad to hear their habitat is expanding in other areas since it seems to be declining in places east.

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  3. They do exist! Haha great post and shots...

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    1. Thanks Jen, I recall you recently 'discovering' these peculiar birds as well. We're all part of a sacred brotherhood/sisterhood now.

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  4. Interesting post, I had no idea about the Bobo history. I'm glad these unique looking ones are now receiving the proper recognition. Hopefully I'll have the luck to encounter one someday:)

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    1. Yes indeedy Tammy I hope so too. Luckily it's now an official ABA bird so we can list em!

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  5. Laurence,

    I love the photos with the Bobolinks in the purple Vetch, what wonderful color combinations!

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    1. Thanks Mia. I couldn't get close enough to the Bobolinks for full-frame shots, but it's very nice when at least they're posing with nice colors.

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