The Brown-headed Cowbird is the only parasitic
bird in Minnesota. It lays all its egg in "host" birds'
nests, leaving other birds to raise its young, often at the expense of the
hosts' young. The male is glossy
black with a chocolate brown head and a pointed sharp gray bill.
The female (above) is a dull brown-gray bird with a long, pointed, sharp
gray bill.
Brown-Headed Cowbirds were observed flying
throughout the Nature Area.
Habitats this bird is normally
found in include farms, fields, barnyards, roadsides, wood edges
and river groves.
The geographic range is from
south Canada to north Mexico. In the northern states, the bird
will migrate to the southern states in the winter.
Brown-Headed Cowbirds feed on
insects and seeds.
2002. Laurie Hanson.
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Last Updated -August 12, 2016
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