I thought I traveled a lot, but nothing compared with Bobolinks. I came across several back in May while the birds and me were visiting the Orlando Wetlands.
AllAboutBirds.org notes, “The Bobolink is one of the world’s most impressive songbird migrants, traveling some 12,500 miles (20,000 kilometers) to and from southern South America every year. Throughout its lifetime, it may travel the equivalent of 4 or 5 times around the circumference of the Earth.”
In addition to be well-traveled, they’re also pretty birds. The Bobolink males are black with white bellies and a cream-colored patch on their necks. The females are pale brown, looking a little similar to female Red-winged Blackbirds.
I am guessing the group I saw was enroute to the north for breeding. Hopefully I’ll spot them again in the fall when they head back to South America for the winter.
