Brown-Headed Cowbird
Kingdom
Phylum
Class
Family
Genus
SPECIES
Molothrus ater
Life Span
16 years
Weight
38-50
1.3-1.8
goz
g oz 
Length
16-22
6.3-8.7
cminch
cm inch 
Wingspan
32-38
12.6-15
cminch
cm inch 

The Brown-headed cowbird (Molothrus ater) is a sturdy blackbird with an unusual approach to parenthood. Females do not build nests but use all their energy for producing eggs, sometimes over three dozen per summer. They lay their eggs in other birds’ nests, who become their chicks’ foster parents, with usually at least some of their foster parents’ chicks being victims in the process. Heavy parasitism by this species has pushed some birds to be "endangered" and has affected other populations as well.

Di

Diurnal

He

Herbivore

Fr

Frugivore

Gr

Granivore

Ar

Arboreal

Zo

Zoochory

Te

Terrestrial

Te

Territorial

Ov

Oviparous

Co

Congregatory

Mo

Monogamy

Po

Polygynandry

So

Social

Fl

Flocking

Do

Dominance hierarchy

Pa

Partial Migrant

B

starts with

Appearance

The Brown-headed cowbird is typical for an icterid in general shape but is distinguished by its finch-like head and beak and smaller size. The adult male is iridescent black in color with a brown head. The adult female is slightly smaller and is dull grey with a pale throat and very fine streaking on the underparts.

Distribution

Geography

Brown-headed cowbirds live throughout the United States, most of Canada, and Mexico. They are permanent residents in the southern parts of their range, while northern birds migrate to the southern United States and Mexico in winter. Brown-headed cowbirds prefer habitats with scattered or low trees among grassland vegetation, like brushy thickets and woodland edges, as well as meadows, pastures, fields, orchards, and residential areas.

Brown-Headed Cowbird habitat map
Brown-Headed Cowbird habitat map
Brown-Headed Cowbird
Attribution-ShareAlike License

Habits and Lifestyle

These birds are social but are usually more solitary during the mornings, which is when mating occurs. Females also seek host nests in the mornings. During the afternoons, birds gather in flocks to forage. They walk on the ground to forage, feeding away from vegetation. In winter, they congregate in very big flocks with European starlings and other icterids. Roosting populations may number up to 38 million individuals. A hierarchy is established in social settings based on how many displacements, flight whistles and song spreads there are in the repertoire of a male. To determine hierarchy, cowbirds participate in "triangle and quadrangle ceremonies", during which males stand in a circle and perform song spreads. After the social status is determined, it is usually maintained by nonverbal means. Singing in flocks is mostly performed by the dominant male and this may be enforced, if inferior males try to sing, by attacking them.

Seasonal behavior
Bird's call

Diet and Nutrition

Brown-headed cowbirds are herbivores (frugivores and granivores). They eat mostly fruits and seeds. Also in their diet are eggs, spiders, and arthropods, like grasshoppers, leafhoppers, and beetles. Females supplement their diet with mollusk shells during the breeding season.

Mating Habits

MATING BEHAVIOR
REPRODUCTION SEASON
varies with location
INCUBATION PERIOD
10-12 days
INDEPENDENT AGE
25-29 days
BABY NAME
chick
web.animal_clutch_size
40 eggs

Almost all populations of Brown-headed cowbirds have fewer females than males, so the females may be choosy. Males are usually monogamous for the breeding season and attempt to maintain this by guarding their mate from other males. However, females tend to be polygynandrous or promiscuous. When outside her mate's home range, a female is no longer guarded, so may copulate with a different male. Males not in a pair bond sometimes mate with females that are not guarded, often while the female's mate is away foraging. Copulations amongst non-mates are more frequent in those populations where the females have more extensive home ranges than the males. The breeding season will vary with the region, but eggs are laid in May and June. One female lays up to 40 eggs each year in the nests of other species. They find nests by quietly watching for signs of nest building, or they flutter through the vegetation, aiming to flush the nest builders out. The incubation time is only 10 to 12 days. After 8 to 13 days the chicks leave the nest and are fully independent from their hosts at around 25 to 29 days old.

Population

Population threats

The Brown-headed cowbird is widespread and does not face any major threats at present; however, it has some predators, such as hawks, owls, raccoons, squirrels, and snakes. Other reasons for its population decline are unknown.

Population number

According to the What Bird resource, the total population size of the Brown-headed cowbird is around 56 million individual birds. The All About Birds resource records the species’ total breeding population size as 120 million individuals. Overall, currently, Brown-headed cowbirds are classified as Least Concern (LC) on the IUCN Red List, but their numbers today are decreasing.

Fun Facts for Kids

  • Although named a "cowbird," this species does not look like a cow but got its name because it followed herds of bison on North America’s Great Plains, eating insects kicked up by the cattle.
  • This bird is North America’s commonest “brood parasite.” Making no nest herself, instead, the female lays her eggs in nests of other species, these birds then raise the young cowbirds.
  • Brown-headed cowbirds will lay eggs in nests belonging to over 220 bird species.
  • Before laying eggs, the female selects a nest that has eggs smaller than hers and quickly lays a single egg. She doesn’t evict the eggs from the nest, except when she sometimes eats them.
  • During displays, a male picks a “singing tree” from where he will sing the typical cowbird song that begins with two liquid whistles, ending in a rapid glissando: “bub-blow-com-seee”. The song often goes with a display of “bowing” or “tipping-over” towards a female or another male, a rival. The “flight whistle” is two or three clear and high-pitched notes.

Coloring Pages

References

1. Brown-Headed Cowbird Wikipedia article - https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Brown-headed_cowbird
2. Brown-Headed Cowbird on The IUCN Red List site - http://www.iucnredlist.org/details/22724354/0
3. Xeno-canto bird call - https://xeno-canto.org/703973

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