#AtoZChallenge2020: Cowbird, Brown-Headed

Theme: Natural Texas

“Cowbird, Brown-Headed”

The brown-headed cowbird, or Molothrus ater, a member of the blackbird and oriole family, has a higher population than when it was first noticed, and this situation is negatively affecting other species. However, birding surveys in recent years have determined a slight decrease in numbers.

Cowbirds can be found mainly in open areas such as farms, fields, prairies, wood edges, and river groves. During the winter months, these birds concentrate in farmlands, pastures, or cattle feedlots, places where easy foraging exists. During spring and summer months, they can be found in grasslands, brushy lands, forest edges, and desert areas. They will avoid dense forests.

They most likely tailed the buffalo herds on the Great Plains in past centuries, eating the insects that were stirred up in the grasses by the buffaloes. Now, they are found where cattle are found all across the Texas and the United States. The unique fact about cowbirds is that they do not make their own nests, but lay their eggs in other birds’ nests. Since this probably pushes out the offspring of some of these birds, the cowbird has caused the other birds to diminish in number.

Cowbirds eat mostly seeds, but they also eat a wide variety of insects.

When cowbirds lay eggs in other bird nests, they usually get rid of one of the other bird eggs already in the nest. Their offspring are raised by the other birds. Baby cowbirds usually develop quickly and leave the nest after 10 or 11 days.

–Male brown-headed cowbird

–Female brown-headed cowbird

–Male cowbird courting a female cowbird

–Cowbird egg stands out in a nest

–A warbler feeding a young cowbird