I put a bird feeder up a few weeks ago, and I’ve had some random birds, but up until now I haven’t see any new birds on the feeder. This morning I came home to a Brown-headed Cowbird on my porch railing eyeing my feeder.
He is a new bird, but not a nice one. These Cowbirds are notorious nest invaders. They don’t eat eggs or birds, they just drop their own eggs in someone else’s nest and leave. Talk about lack of maternal instinct.
The foster parents usually raise the result of that egg – usually much bigger than their own eggs. Occasionally they will roll the egg out of their nest and sometimes they just build another floor on top of the egg, but mostly they just raise it as their own.
Fascinating.
It is also a beautiful bird – looks like a Grackle – all black except it has the beautiful warm chocolate head. It stayed around long enough for me to get some great photos.
Today, the Brown-headed Cowbird was my favorite bird.
Until I find the next one.
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