Bobolink Sounds

Overview
ID info
Life History
Maps
Sounds

Song
Media Player Error
Update your browser or Flash plugin
North Dakota, June 04, 1988Recorded by Geoffrey A. Keller | Macaulay Library
Song
Media Player Error
Update your browser or Flash plugin
New York, June 16, 1996Recorded by Curtis Marantz | Macaulay Library
Flight calls
Media Player Error
Update your browser or Flash plugin
Pennsylvania, June 27, 1998Recorded by Wil Hershberger | Macaulay Library
Calls
Media Player Error
Update your browser or Flash plugin
New York, June 20, 1964Recorded by James Kimball | Macaulay Library
Calls
Media Player Error
Update your browser or Flash plugin
Maine, June 15, 2001Recorded by Curtis Marantz | Macaulay Library
Calls
Media Player Error
Update your browser or Flash plugin
North Dakota, June 14, 1990Recorded by Geoffrey A. Keller | Macaulay Library

Sounds provided by Macaulay Library.
Listen to more sounds of this species from the ML archive.

Songs

The male sings a metallic, bubbly, rambling song with a mixture of sharp high notes and buzzy low pitches. He sings from perches and in flight throughout the breeding season, but mostly while establishing a territory and courting females. Each male has 2 song types, each composed of 25–50 notes in a fixed sequence, lasting about 3.5 seconds.

Calls

Bobolinks use a pink sound all year round to communicate within flocks, and they have several additional calls during the breeding season. Males give chunk, chenk, and see-yew calls when disturbed by intruders, buzzes during courtship display, and staccato check notes while pursuing other males. Females respond to intruders with chunk and quipt notes, and use quiet zeep notes when conflicting with other individuals.