Male Brown-headed Cowbird by Judy Howle

Cool Facts

Cowbirds are incapable of nesting, incubating or raising their own chicks. Instead, they lay their eggs in the nests of other bird species, which then raise the young cowbirds.

When a cowbird lays an egg in another bird's nest (called the "host" bird), it usually tosses out one of the host's eggs. If a host bird does remove a cowbird egg, the cowbird may retaliate by returning and destroying all of the host's remaining eggs.

Sound

Song is a low “glug, glug” followed by slurred whistles that end on a very high pitch.

To listen to the songs of this species click here.

Habitat

Found in grassy areas, yards, brushy areas

 
Food

Primarily insects and other invertebrates, seeds, and fruit

female by Judy Howle

 
Did you know? 

The Brown-headed Cowbird lays eggs in the nests of many different species of birds, but most females specialize on one particular host species.

In one case, a cowbird laid her egg in in the nest of a Ruby-throated Hummingbird. The egg completely filled the nest and never hatched.

Many birds have evolved ways of rejecting cowbird eggs. The Yellow Warbler, for example, will build a new nest lining over the cowbird's eggs if she finds them in her nest.

To learn more about Brown-headed Cowbirds please visit All About Birds.