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Bronzed Cowbird

Molothrus aeneusOrder: PASSERIFORMESFamily: Blackbirds and Orioles (Icteridae)

Bronzed Cowbird (aeneus) Breeding Male Portrait
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General

Bronzed Cowbird: Small blackbird (aeneus), brown-black overall with blue sheen on wings and tail. Eyes are red. Bill is dark and heavy. Female is dark gray-brown with faintly streaked, pale gray throat. Juvenile is brown.

Range and Habitat

Bronzed Cowbird: Breeds in Arizona, California, Louisiana, New Mexico, and Texas.

Listen to Call

Voice Text

"glug-glug-glee"

Interesting Facts

 The Bronzed Cowbird performs spectacular three-part courtship displays incorporating both of their major categories of song. Courtship begins with a hover or aerial bow display, followed by a terrestrial singing display, and then by a circling flight display.

 The maximum number of Bronzed Cowbird eggs found in one nest was 14.

 A group of cowbirds are collectively known as a "corral" and a "herd" of cowbirds.



Author

Gary Owen Dick

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Range Map for Bronzed Cowbird
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Bird Call Credits: The Macaulay Library of Natural Sounds at the Cornell Lab of Ornithology. Martyn Stewart, http://www.naturesound.org, Redmond, Washington USA. The reuse or copying of bird calls in this database is strictly forbidden.
Family Meadowlark (Icteridae)_blue
Species Molothrus aeneus
Length6.5 - 8.75 Inches
Wingspan11.5 Inches

Bronzed Cowbird

Bronzed Cowbird: Small blackbird (aeneus), brown-black overall with blue sheen on wings and tail. Eyes are red and bill is dark and heavy. Feeds on insects, seeds and grains. Often follows cattle to eat insects that are kicked up. Swift direct and swooping flight with rapid wing beats.

● Song: "glug-glug-glee"

● Foraging & Feeding: Bronzed Cowbird: Eats insects and seeds; forages in flocks on the ground, sometimes turning over pebbles in search of food.

● Breeding & nesting: Bronzed Cowbird: Nest parasite; a single light blue green egg is laid in eight to ten nests of other species. Incubation ranges from 10 to 12 days and is carried out by the host species.

● Similar species: Bronzed Cowbird: Brown-headed Cowbird is black with glossy brown head; female Brown-headed is plain gray.

Flight Pattern

Swift somewhat swooping direct flight on rapidly beating wings.
Bronzed Cowbird (aeneus) Breeding Male Body Illustration
● Range & Habitat: Bronzed Cowbird: Breeds in Arizona, California, Louisiana, New Mexico, and Texas.
BreedingPromiscuous, Polyandrous
PopulationCommon but local
MigrationMost migrate
Weight2.4 Ounces