Difference between revisions of "Field Guide/Birds/Molothrus ater"

Revision as of 01:41, 1 July 2004

Brown-headed Cowbird

Scientific Classification

Template:Regnum:	Animalia
Template:Phylum:	Chordata
Template:Classis:	Aves
Template:Ordo:	Passeriformes
Template:Familia:	Icteridae
Template:Genus:	Molothrus
Template:Species:	ater

Binomial name

Molothrus ater
(Boddaert, 1783)

The Brown-headed Cowbird, Molothrus ater, is a small icterid.

Adults have a short finch-like bill and dark eyes. The adult male is mainly irridescent black with a brown head. The adult female is grey with a pale throat and fine streaking on the underparts.

Breeding in open or semi-open country across most of North America, this bird lays its eggs in the nests of other small passerines (perching birds), particularly those that build cup-like nests, such as the Yellow Warbler. The young cowbird is fed by the host parents at the expense of their own young.

Brown-headed Cowbirds are permanent residents in the southern parts of their range; northern birds migrate to the southern United States and Mexico. They often travel in flocks, sometimes mixed with Red-winged Blackbirds or European Starlings.

These birds forage on the ground, often following grazing animals such as horses and cows to catch insects stirred up by the larger animals. They mainly eat seeds and insects.

At one time, the Brown-headed Cowbird followed the bison herds across the prairies. Their parasitic nesting behaviour complimented this nomadic lifestyle. Their numbers expanded with the clearing of forested areas and the introduction of new grazing animals by settlers across North America. Brown-headed Cowbirds are now commonly seen at suburban birdfeeders.

Brown-headed Cowbird females can lay 36 eggs in a season. Over 140 different species of bird are known to have raised young cowbirds. Host parents may sometimes notice the cowbird egg. Different species react in different ways. Gray Catbirds destroy the egg by pecking it. Some species may simply build a new layer over the bottom of the original nest. Brown-headed cowbird nestlings are sometimes expelled from the nest.

nl:bruinkop-koevogel

@@ Line 20: / Line 20: @@
 Adults have a short [[finch]]-like bill and dark eyes. The adult male is mainly irridescent black with a brown head. The adult female is grey with a pale throat and fine streaking on the underparts.
-Their breeding habitat is open or semi-open country across most of [[North America]]. This bird lays its eggs in the nests of other small [[passerine]]s, particularly those that build cup nests, such as the [[Yellow Warbler]]. The young cowbird is fed by its foster parents at the expense of their own young.
+Breeding in open or semi-open country across most of [[North America]], this bird lays its eggs in the nests of other small [[passerine]]s (perching birds), particularly those that build cup-like nests, such as the [[Yellow Warbler]]. The young cowbird is fed by the host parents at the expense of their own young.
-They are permanent residents in the southern parts of their range; northern birds [[bird migration|migrate]] to the southern [[United States]] and [[Mexico]]. They often travel in flocks, sometimes mixed with [[Red-winged Blackbird]]s or [[European Starling]]s.
+Brown-headed Cowbirds are permanent residents in the southern parts of their range; northern birds [[bird migration|migrate]] to the southern [[United States]] and [[Mexico]]. They often travel in flocks, sometimes mixed with [[Red-winged Blackbird]]s or [[European Starling]]s.
-These birds forage on the ground; often following grazing animals such as [[horse]]s and [[cattle|cow]]s to catch insects stirred up by the larger animals. They mainly eat seeds and insects.
+These birds forage on the ground, often following grazing animals such as [[horse]]s and [[cattle|cow]]s to catch insects stirred up by the larger animals. They mainly eat seeds and insects.
-At one time, these birds followed the [[bison]] herds across the [[prairie]]s. Their [[parasite|parasitic]] nesting behaviour complimented this [[nomad|nomadic]] lifestyle. Their numbers expanded with the clearing of forested areas and the introduction of new grazing animals by settlers across North America.
+At one time, the Brown-headed Cowbird followed the [[bison]] herds across the [[prairie]]s. Their [[parasite|parasitic]] nesting behaviour complimented this [[nomad|nomadic]] lifestyle. Their numbers expanded with the clearing of forested areas and the introduction of new grazing animals by settlers across North America. Brown-headed Cowbirds are now commonly seen at suburban birdfeeders.
-Over 140 different species of bird are known to have raised young cowbirds. If the cowbird egg is noticed, the intended victim may simply build a new layer over the bottom of the original nest.
+Brown-headed Cowbird females can lay 36 eggs in a season. Over 140 different species of bird are known to have raised young cowbirds. Host parents may sometimes notice the cowbird egg. Different species react in different ways. [[Gray Catbird]]s destroy the egg by pecking it. Some species may simply build a new layer over the bottom of the original nest. Brown-headed cowbird nestlings are sometimes expelled from the nest.
 [[nl:bruinkop-koevogel]]