Brown-headed Cowbird
Brown-headed Cowbird
(Molothrus ater)
Photo Temporarily Unavailable
Size : 6 - 8 inches long(15 - 20 cm)
Description : Male - Black with iridescent brown head
Female - Plain gray.
Preferred Habitat: Fields, woodland edges, suburbs
Preferred food : Insects, seeds, berries, and Grains. At the feeder they especially
like cracked corn, millet and sunflower seed, served on the ground.
Breeding Range : Newfoundland west to British Columbia, south to Mexico, east to Louisiana
and northern Florida
Winter Range : Central New England west to California, south to Mexico and east to Florida
Interesting Facts: - Brood parasites: lay their eggs in other birds' nests and leave the care
of their offspring, from egg to adulthood to other species
- Most usual targets are nests of warblers, sparrows, flycatchers, and vireos
- Should the cowbird choose the nest of a robin or catbird, the eggs will be
punctured and evicted immediately
- Some birds will build a new nest on top of the old one, when they notice
an egg of the parasites, even if they already had some of their own in it
- About 195 different species have been observed to be unwitting hosts of
cowbird eggs, including hawks, where the effort was unsuccessful
- Eggs are often larger than host's eggs, and the cowbird hatches quicker
and grows bigger than the legitimate nestlings, which it often smothers
or pushes out of the nest.
- Formerly called 'Buffalo Birds' because they followed these beasts and ate
the insects they stirred up. As buffalo disappeared, they transferred to cattle
- Not a bird that most people encourage to their feeders.
- Have huge appetites, but feed peacefully with other species
- Incubation period: 10 days; nestling: 10 days; broods per season 3 - 4;
clutch size: 1 - 6, not all in the same nest
- Voice: squeaky gurgle, call: 'check'