Brown-headed Cowbird (Molothrus ater)

The Brown-headed Cowbird (Molothrus ater) is a small, brood parasitic bird native to North America, known for its unique reproductive strategy of laying eggs in the nests of other bird species. This adaptable bird migrates to the southern United States and Mexico during winter, thriving on a diet of seeds and insects.

🇫🇷	Vacher à tête brune
🇩🇪	Braunkopf-Kuhstärling
🇲🇽	Tordo cabecicafé

Taxonomy

Order	Passeriformes
Family	Icteridae

ID and Whereabouts

Female Brown-headed Cowbirds are entirely brown, featuring a rounded head, dark eyes, and a strong, conical bill. In contrast, males exhibit a striking black body with a distinct brown head.

I have observed this bird species on two occasions. The first sighting was of a male at Technoparc Montreal, and the second was in Boisé des Douze, Saint Hyacinthe. Despite its presence, the Brown-headed Cowbird is often overlooked due to its unremarkable appearance.

Location	Spring	Summer	Autumn	Winter
Parc Michel-Chartrand	x	-	-	-
Parc des Étangs Antoine-Charlebois	-	x	-	-

"x" indicates the species was observed, while "-" indicates no observation. Lack of observation doesn't necessarily imply that the species is absent. Data is derived from our park visit journals.

Characteristics

Length	16-22cm
Weight	30-60g
Wingspan	36cm
Clutch Size	1-7 eggs
Incubation	10-12 days
Fledging	8-13 days
Sexual Maturity	1 year

Explore More

📖 For more information about this species: Wikipedia Page