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Project Noah Nature School
Molothrus ater
Brown-headed cowbirds do not raise their own young, instead laying their eggs in the nests of other bird species. This heavy parasitism by cowbirds has pushed some species to the status of "endangered" and has probably hurt populations of some others.
Spotted in a coniferous forest next to the Early Winters Creek.
A 2017 study demonstrated that cowbird brains are wired to respond to the vocalizations of other cowbirds, allowing young to find and join flocks of their own species. These vocalizations are consistent across all cowbird populations, and serve as a sort of species-recognition password. If a young cowbird is not exposed to these "password" vocalizations by a certain age, it will mistakenly imprint on the host species. (Wikipedia)
Spotted on Jun 25, 2018
Submitted on Feb 23, 2019
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