Brown-headed Cowbird Photos
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Brown-headed cowbird Molothrus ater
Identification Tips:
Length: 6.5 inches
Short, conical bill
Dark eyes
Frequents open habitats
When feeding on ground often cocks its tail
Often found in large flocks in migration and winter ...
Brown-headed Cowbird (Molothrus ater)
Length: about 7".
Photographed on May 23, 2005, along the refuge's Wildlife Loop (map).
Brown-headed Cowbird ( Molothrus ater )
Brown-Headed Cowbird, Burnaby Lake Regional Park (Piper Spit), Burnaby, British Columbia
Photograph by Alan And Elaine Wilson. Some rights reserved. (view image details) ...
Brown-headed Cowbird
Malodorous ater
The Brown-headed Cowbird (Malodorous ater) is widespread across most of North America. It feeds on seeds as well as insects which are stirred up by grazing cattle, thus the common name of cowbird.
Brown-headed Cowbird Behaviour
No observations regarding Brown-headed Cowbird behavior have been submitted to the database yet.
Interesting Facts about Brown-headed Cowbirds ...
Brown-headed Cowbird
(Molothrus ater)
Status: Summer Resident.
Last recorded on site in 2011
Breeding Status:-
1987 to 1991: Confirmed
1992 to 1996: Confirmed
1997 to 2001: Confirmed
2002 to 2006: Confirmed
2007 to 2011: Confirmed ...
Laying its eggs in the nests of other species, the Brown-headed Cowbird has been observed parasitizing the California Towhee (the most frequent cowbird host) and [OBSERVERS ADD OTHER SPECIES] on campus.
Brown-headed Cowbird (Molothrus ater)
Prior to European settlement, the brown headed cowbird, once called the "buffalo bird," was common in the open plains.
Brown-headed Cowbird brood parasitism:
The Wilson's Phalarope is an accidental and unsuitable host of the Brown-headed Cowbird (Molothrus ater), an obligate brood parasite (Friedmann 1963, Hatch 1971).
Brown-headed cowbird control: Kirtland's warbler management includes extensive annual trapping of brown-headed cowbirds. From 1972 to 1978, over 17,500 brown-headed cowbirds were trapped in Kirtland's warbler breeding areas [75].
Brown-headed Cowbird Molothrus ater. Breeder. Common in all seasons and regions. Found in short-grass areas, especially with livestock. Lowest Conservation Concern.
The Brown-headed Cowbird has no population decline, but is considered a conservation problem for many passerine species. Many host species reject Brown-headed Cowbird eggs or abandon nests that are parasitized.
The Brown-Headed Cowbird, a brood parasite, will lay its eggs in house finch nests, although the diet house finches feed their young is inadequate for the young cowbirds, which rarely survive.[22]
[edit] References ...
Wolfe, D. 1994. Brown-headed Cowbirds fledged from Barn Swallow and American Robin nests. Wilson Bulletin, 106: 764-767.
The abundance of brown-headed cowbirds is believed to increase in areas with development near riparian areas (USFWS 1998).
Brood parasitism by brown-headed cowbird reduces reproductive success (Finch 1983).
Non-Migrant: Y
Locally Migrant: N ...
While this is an easy enough task for humans, it is seemingly more complicated for brown-headed cowbirds (Molothrus ater). (more) ...
Song sparrows' nests are parasitized by the brown-headed cowbird. The cowbirds' eggs closely resemble song sparrows' eggs, although the cowbirds' eggs are slightly larger.
Habitat fragmentation also causes egg parasitism by brown-headed cowbirds: When cerulean warblers have nests on the edge of a fragmented area, brown headed cowbirds lay their eggs in warblers' nest (as well as in those of other species).
The wood thrush is also hard-hit by the increased presence of the brown-headed cowbird, which employs an unusual reproductive strategy.
brown-headed cowbird, which gave the name cowbird to
the group. It originally followed bison on the plains, eating
insects stirred up by the moving animals, and
later transferred to domestic cattle, where they are often seen ...
The clearing of woodland for use by livestock can also lead to an increase in Brown-headed Cowbirds, which parasitize Gray Vireo nests.
THE COW-PEN-BIRD.
[Brown-headed Cowbird.]
MOLOTHRUS PECORIS, Gmel.
[Molothrus ater.] ...
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Page 4: Tree Swallows (3 photos), Dusky Flycatcher (2 photos), Chipping Sparrow, Lewis's Woodpecker, Wilson's Snipe, House Wren, Purple Finch, Brown-headed Cowbird and Tree Swallow (June 2009)
Photos by Gary Shaffer ...
Also, range fires, which used to keep the land open and the shrubs growing low to the ground, are not as frequent today as in the days before people settled Texas. Another problem is that Brown-headed Cowbirds lay their eggs in vireo nests, ...
Kirtland's Warbler has been targetted by conservation efforts since 1974 and since 1990 has shown slight population increases in Florida. It breeds in Michigan, where habitat loss and Brown-headed Cowbird parasitism have been severe threats.
 See also: Cowbird, Warbler, Sparrow, Spider, Finch
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