Last of the Icteridae this morning, one of the "nuisance" or "parasitic" birds. The Brown-headed Cowbird followed the great bison migration when the continent was native. They were effectively confined to the Great Plains by the Migration. After the mass slaughter of Bison to control Native Americans, the range of the Brown-headed Cowbird exploded to encompass most of the country.

Cowbirds do not build nests, instead they lay eggs in the nests of other birds. A single female may lay as many as 36 eggs in a season. If the parasitized birds do not recognize and remove or destroy the foreign eggs, they may end up raising only the cowbird chick. This can result in dramatic losses in populations of birds like the Black-capped Vireo and Kirtland's Warbler.

#BirdsOfMastodon #BirdPhotography #BrownHeadedCowbird #DarkTable #GreatBisonSlaughter #NativeAmericans

Morning Cowbird

This bird almost had me second‑guessing, because for a female Brown‑headed Cowbird (Molothrus ater), its plumage is unusually light. It may well be a younger bird.

Step into a world where even the smallest moments—like the glint in a bird's eye—tell their own story.

https://swede1952-photographs.pixels.com

#photo #photography #photographer #photographylovers #wildlife #nature #bird #birds #birding #birdwatching #birdphotography #blackbirds #brownheadedcowbird

every audio alert that i allow into my life needs to sound like a brown-headed cowbird.
#birds #birdsong #brownHeadedCowbird

https://www.tiktok.com/@katiekreen/video/7355941493774896427

Showdown on the Feeder

This isn’t my best photography, and the composition isn’t exactly something to brag about. But it has that X-factor—a tense moment unfolding at the bird feeder between a male, red-bellied woodpecker (Melanerpes carolinus) and a male brown-headed cowbird (Molothrus ater). I don’t even recall taking the photo; I only noticed it this morning while sorting through my collection, deleting shots I thought I’d never use. This one almost got the axe—until I paused and thought, "Wait a minute…"

Discover nature's fleeting moments through my lens—visit my photo gallery to see more.

https://swede1952-photographs.pixels.com

#photo #photography #photographer #photographylovers #wildlife #nature #bird #birds #birding #birdwatching #birdphotography #RedBelliedWoodpecker #BrownHeadedCowbird

"Brown-headed Cowbird"
Ink and Colored Pencils

#birds #birdwhisperer #penandcoloredpencil #bird #birdart #birddrawing #sketchbook #sketchbookart #sketchbookdrawing #art #brownheadedcowbird #cowbird