Diet
What do bobolinks eat?
Insects and grass seeds from hayfields.
Blackbirds (Icteridae)BobolinkDolichonyx oryzivorus
Spring and summer diet
- Grasshoppers, caterpillars and grass seeds
Fall and winter diet
- Migrates to Argentina — a 12,500-mile round trip
Best feeder foods
- None — unmowed hayfields are the habitat
Needs hayfields left uncut until mid-July; delaying the first cut is the single best thing for them.
Frequently asked
What do bobolinks eat?
Insects and grass seeds from hayfields.
What is the best food to feed bobolinks?
None — unmowed hayfields are the habitat.
What do bobolinks eat in winter?
Migrates to Argentina — a 12,500-mile round trip.
Sources
- Bobolink — All About Birds, Cornell Lab of Ornithology
- Bobolink life history — Cornell Lab of Ornithology
- Bobolink — Audubon Guide to North American Birds
Timing reflects typical patterns for the region as a whole; local dates vary with elevation and year. Check the linked eBird bar charts for your county.