Also known as: Common Cowbird, Cow Blackbird, Cow Bunting, Cow-pen Bird, Dwarf Cowbird, Eastern Cowbird, Nevada Cowbird
Brown-headed Cowbirds are small dark birds, related to orioles, grackles and blackbirds. Males have iridescent black bodies with brown heads; females are much duller, with a brownish-grey overall plumage.
Brown-headed Cowbirds are brood parasites. They do not make their own nests; females lay eggs in the nests of other birds. Baby Brown-headed Cowbirds are raised by the host parents; more than 140 different species of birds have been seen raising baby Brown-headed Cowbirds.
For 18 days we're adding a new Birdorable bird every day as part of our Birdorable Bonanza 2010. Today's bird is the Brown-headed Cowbird! Brown-headed Cowbirds are well-known (and well-disliked!) for being ... more
Brood parasites are birds that rely on other birds, often of a different species, to raise their young. Brood parasitism occurs in organisms other than birds, including fish and insects, but we'll ... more
