Dickcissel

Spiza americana

Silhouette: Sheatherius · PhyloPic

Least ConcernNear ThreatenedVulnerableEndangeredCritically Endangered

KingdomAnimalia (Animals)
PhylumChordata (Chordates)
ClassAves (Birds)
OrderPasseriformes (Perching Birds)
FamilyCardinalidae (Cardinals and Allies)
GenusSpiza (Dickcissels)
SpeciesSpiza americana (Dickcissel)

Daily sighting probability Insufficient data

at Arenal Volcano National Park

3 Verified sightings at Arenal Volcano National Park From 2019 to 2026

1,884 Verified sightings across all 50 parks From 2019 to 2026

☀️ Diurnal When it's spotted during daytime hours (6am–6pm)

About the Dickcissel

The dickcissel (Spiza americana) is a small seed-eating migratory bird in the family Cardinalidae. It breeds on the prairie grasslands of the Midwestern United States and winters in Central America, northern Colombia, and northern Venezuela. It is the only member of the genus Spiza, though some sources list another supposedly extinct species.

The dickcissel was formally described in 1789 by German naturalist Johann Friedrich Gmelin under the binomial name Emberiza americana. Gmelin based his account on the "black-throated bunting" that the Welsh naturalist Thomas Pennant had described and illustrated in 1785 in his Arctic Zoology. The dickcissel is now the only species placed in the genus Spiza that was introduced in 1824 by French naturalist Charles Lucien Bonaparte. The genus name Spiza is the Ancient Greek word for a common type of finch, now assumed to be a chaffinch. The species is monotypic; no subspecies are recognised.

The dickcissel is part of a group of the Cardinalidae that also includes Amaurospiza, Cyanocompsa, Cyanoloxia, and Passerina. Spiza is the only one among these that lacks blue structural colors in its plumage. Though the color pattern and habits... Wikipedia →

Closest Relatives at Arenal Volcano National Park

Piranga rubra

Daily sighting probability ~40% · Likely

Piranga flava

Daily sighting probability ~30% · Possible

Chlorothraupis carmioli

Daily sighting probability ~30% · Possible

Cyanocompsa cyanoides

Daily sighting probability ~10% · With luck

Piranga olivacea

Daily sighting probability <5% · Rare

Piranga bidentata

Daily sighting probability Insufficient data

Habia rubica

Daily sighting probability Insufficient data

Pheucticus ludovicianus

Daily sighting probability <5% · Rare

Caryothraustes poliogaster

Daily sighting probability <5% · Rare

Pheucticus tibialis

Daily sighting probability <5% · Rare

Passerina cyanea

Daily sighting probability <5% · Rare

Passerina ciris

Daily sighting probability <5% · Rare

See all 12 relatives Show fewer

Global Distribution

Warmer areas are where this animal is recorded most often.

Parks Where Found

#	Park	Country	Daily sighting probability
1	Manuel Antonio National Park	🇨🇷 Costa Rica	~10%
2	Gandoca-Manzanillo Wildlife Refuge	🇨🇷 Costa Rica	~10%
3	Isla del Coco National Park	🇨🇷 Costa Rica	~10%
4	Palo Verde National Park	🇨🇷 Costa Rica	<5%
5	Montes Azules Biosphere Reserve	🇲🇽 Mexico	<5%
6	Celestún Biosphere Reserve	🇲🇽 Mexico	<5%
7	Bastimentos Island National Marine Park	🇵🇦 Panama	<5%
8	Darién National Park	🇵🇦 Panama	<5%
9	Santa Rosa National Park	🇨🇷 Costa Rica	<5%
10	La Amistad International Park (Panama)	🇵🇦 Panama	<5%
11	Caroni Swamp	🇹🇹 Trinidad and Tobago	<5%
12	Point Pelee National Park	🇨🇦 Canada	<5%
13	Soberanía National Park	🇵🇦 Panama	<5%
14	Tikal National Park	🇬🇹 Guatemala	<5%
15	Saguaro National Park	🇺🇸 United States	<5%
16	Sierra de la Macarena National Park	🇨🇴 Colombia	<5%
17	Tortuguero National Park	🇨🇷 Costa Rica	<5%
18	Sian Ka'an Biosphere Reserve	🇲🇽 Mexico	<5%
19	Everglades National Park	🇺🇸 United States	<5%
20	Tenorio Volcano National Park	🇨🇷 Costa Rica	<5%
21	Braulio Carrillo National Park	🇨🇷 Costa Rica	<5%
22	Acadia National Park	🇺🇸 United States	<5%
23	Lago de Yojoa	🇭🇳 Honduras	Insufficient data
24	Arrecifes de Cozumel National Park	🇲🇽 Mexico	Insufficient data
25	Las Baulas Marine National Park	🇨🇷 Costa Rica	Insufficient data
26	Cerro Azul Meámbar National Park	🇭🇳 Honduras	Insufficient data
27	Biotopo Cerro Cahuí	🇬🇹 Guatemala	Insufficient data
28	Cabo Pulmo National Park	🇲🇽 Mexico	Insufficient data
29	Cahuita National Park	🇨🇷 Costa Rica	Insufficient data
30	Cabo Blanco Absolute Nature Reserve	🇨🇷 Costa Rica	Insufficient data
31	Marino Ballena National Park	🇨🇷 Costa Rica	Insufficient data
32	Chagres National Park	🇵🇦 Panama	Insufficient data
33	Cockscomb Basin Wildlife Sanctuary	🇧🇿 Belize	Insufficient data
34	Ostional Wildlife Refuge	🇨🇷 Costa Rica	Insufficient data
35	Piedras Blancas National Park	🇨🇷 Costa Rica	Insufficient data
36	Gros Morne National Park	🇨🇦 Canada	Insufficient data
37	Calakmul Biosphere Reserve	🇲🇽 Mexico	Insufficient data
38	El Vizcaíno Biosphere Reserve	🇲🇽 Mexico	Insufficient data
39	Rincón de la Vieja National Park	🇨🇷 Costa Rica	Insufficient data
40	Ría Lagartos Biosphere Reserve	🇲🇽 Mexico	Insufficient data
41	Tayrona National Natural Park	🇨🇴 Colombia	Insufficient data
42	Cañón del Sumidero National Park	🇲🇽 Mexico	Insufficient data
43	Masaya Volcano National Park	🇳🇮 Nicaragua	Insufficient data
44	Corcovado National Park	🇨🇷 Costa Rica	Insufficient data
45	Congaree National Park	🇺🇸 United States	Insufficient data
46	Ciénaga de Zapata	🇨🇺 Cuba	Insufficient data
47	Big Cypress National Preserve	🇺🇸 United States	Insufficient data
48	Joshua Tree National Park	🇺🇸 United States	Insufficient data
49	Arenal Volcano National Park	🇨🇷 Costa Rica	Insufficient data
50	Shenandoah National Park	🇺🇸 United States	Insufficient data

← Back to Arenal Volcano National Park

Dickcissel

About the Dickcissel

Recent sightings of Dickcissel in Arenal Volcano National Park

Closest Relatives at Arenal Volcano National Park

Summer Tanager

Hepatic Tanager

Carmiol's Tanager

Blue-black Grosbeak

Scarlet Tanager

Flame-colored Tanager

Red-crowned Ant-Tanager

Rose-breasted Grosbeak

Black-faced Grosbeak

Black-thighed Grosbeak

Indigo Bunting

Painted Bunting

Global Distribution

Parks Where Found