A Word about Cowbirds



It started with two. two very quiet birds eating alone in the shadows on the feeders.
I posted a video asking if anyone knew what they were.

Radio silence

Later, I noticed more and more were coming, so again, I posted another picture. This time I got an answer: brown-headed cowbird.



As the weeks progressed they increased in numbers blending in with grackles, red winged blackbirds and crows until they were literally swarming the feeders, bullying the regular songbirds and even being aggressive toward the squirrels. The cowbirds took over the squirrel feeding area and would peck at the squirrels when they tried to access the food.

As you can see below, male, female and juvenile cowbirds gathered and waited on the fence while the more dominant males took over the platform feeder and squirrel lunch box. Most of these pictures were taken in mid to late Nov 2019 using a Canon EOS T6i/sigma 150-600mm lens.




 ISO 800 1/50 sec. f/6.3 516mm no filter/no edit

juvenile cowbirds





Despite the beautiful coloring this bird and their interesting gurgling sound, kind of like bubbling water, it has become a bit of an unwelcome backyard guest. They were going through the seed at an alarming rate of a day and a half and I have plenty of feeders including putting seed on some low stones for the ground birds like the mourning doves.Due t this, I was forced to leave the feeders empty for a few days then had to switch out to tube feeders, nyjer seed, peanuts and suet. There is now a decrease in the cowbirds in my backyard but I swear they must leave a scout because if I try to put out the other seed with sunflowers, etc in it for the cardinals, here they come again.

This one perched on feeder #1 was dressed for the few very cool days we had.
This cowbird print available for $20


Accompanying the cowbirds...or maybe it was the other way around, were these birds: common grackle . They look menacing and angry. Corvid family



Look at the beautiful colors in the grackle's feathers!
I changed the feeders on the PVC feeder to mostly tube feeders. but will have to get ones with smaller holes. I miss the feeders with platforms for the birds, especially the cardinals to perch on but then the cowbirds really don't leave.

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