Saturday, September 19, 2015

Saturday Sightings- Brown-headed Cowbird

Happy Saturday everyone!  This week is about the Cowbird.

The female Brown-headed Cowbird does not build a nest, she instead saves all her energy for producing eggs and can sometimes lay more than three dozen eggs a year.  They lay their eggs in the nests of other birds and abandon their chicks for foster parents to take care of.  This is called parasitism and has caused the numbers of the host birds to decline as their young take over the nests.

This bird can be found in open habitats, such as fields, pastures, meadows, forest edges and lawns.  When not displaying or feeding, they often perch high on tree branches that stick out.  They have glossy black plumage and a rich brown head, which can often look black at a distance or in poor lighting.  The females are completely brown and have fine streaking on the belly, with a dark eye.

Take care!

Catie and Ben

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