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Brown-headed Cowbird

Molothrus ater

Least Concern · IUCN Red List

LCLeast ConcernSeedsForestSmall · 40 g
Brown-headed Cowbird (Molothrus ater), photo 1
Photo: Bear golden retriever from Auburn, NY, USA · CC BY 2.0
Brown-headed Cowbird (Molothrus ater), photo 2
Photo: Michael Newlon · CC BY 4.0
Brown-headed Cowbird (Molothrus ater), photo 3
Photo: MONGO · Public domain
Brown-headed Cowbird (Molothrus ater), photo 4
Photo: James St. John · CC BY 2.0
Brown-headed Cowbird (Molothrus ater), photo 5
Photo: gailhampshire from Cradley, Malvern, U.K · CC BY 2.0
Brown-headed Cowbird (Molothrus ater), photo 6
Photo: gailhampshire from Cradley, Malvern, U.K · CC BY 2.0
Brown-headed Cowbird (Molothrus ater), photo 7
Photo: Katidids · CC BY 3.0
Brown-headed Cowbird (Molothrus ater), photo 8
Photo: Channel City Camera Club from Santa Barbara, US · CC BY 2.0
Brown-headed Cowbird (Molothrus ater), photo 9
Photo: gailhampshire from Cradley, Malvern, U.K · CC BY 2.0
Brown-headed Cowbird (Molothrus ater), photo 10
Photo: gailhampshire from Cradley, Malvern, U.K · CC BY 2.0

What the Brown-headed Cowbird sounds like

Sonogram of the Brown-headed Cowbird: time runs left to right, pitch bottom to top, and the brighter the mark the louder the sound.
Recorded by Jonathon Jongsma · Call · Bancroft Neighborhood, Minneapolis, Hennepin County, Minnesota, United States · CC BY-SA 4.0 · via xeno-canto
Sonogram of the Brown-headed Cowbird: time runs left to right, pitch bottom to top, and the brighter the mark the louder the sound.
Recorded by Jonathon Jongsma · Call, song · Wild River State Park, Chisago County, Minnesota, United States · CC BY-SA 4.0 · via xeno-canto
Sonogram of the Brown-headed Cowbird: time runs left to right, pitch bottom to top, and the brighter the mark the louder the sound.
Recorded by Jonathon Jongsma · Song · Miesville Ravine Park Reserve, Goodhue County, Minnesota, United States · CC BY-SA 4.0 · via xeno-canto

ID tip

The brown-headed cowbird is typical for an icterid in general shape, but is distinguished by its finch-like head and beak and smaller size. The adult male is iridescent black in color with a brown head. The adult female is slightly smaller and is dull grey with a pale throat and very fine streaking on the underparts. Their total length is 16–22 cm (6.3–8.7 in) and the average wingspan is 36 cm (14 in). Body mass can range from 30–60 g (1.1–2.1 oz), with females averaging 38.8 g (1.37 oz) against the males' average of 49 g (1.7 oz).

Text from Wikipedia, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0.

When to see the Brown-headed Cowbird

One bar for each month. Filled bars are the 5 months with records; pale bars are months with none. The wide bar is May, the month with the most records.

Where to see the Brown-headed Cowbird

Regular rangeRare visitor

The map shades 8 countries with regular records, and 3 more in a lighter tone where the bird turns up only as a stray. Everything unshaded has no records. Countries are listed below the map.

United States Canada Mexico Bahamas Bermuda St. Pierre & Miquelon Cuba Guatemala

Recorded as a rare visitor in Belize, United Kingdom, Norway.

About the Brown-headed Cowbird

The brown-headed cowbird is a small, obligate brood parasitic icterid native to temperate and subtropical North America. It is a permanent resident in the southern parts of its range; northern birds migrate to the southern United States and Mexico in winter, returning to their summer habitat around March or April.

Text adapted from Wikipedia, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0.

Easily confused with

Shiny Cowbird (Molothrus bonariensis) Shiny CowbirdMolothrus bonariensisThe physical appearance of the shiny cowbird adult depends on the subspecies. Bronzed Cowbird (Molothrus aeneus) Bronzed CowbirdMolothrus aeneusThe male bronzed cowbird is 20 cm (7.9 in) long and weighs 68 g (2.4 oz), with green-bronze, gloss-black plumage. Giant Cowbird (Molothrus oryzivorus) Giant CowbirdMolothrus oryzivorusThe male giant cowbird is 34 cm (13 in) long, weighs 174–242 g (6.1–8.5 oz) and is iridescent black, with a long tail, long bill, small head, and a neck ruff which is expanded in display.

Side by side: Brown-headed Cowbird vs Shiny Cowbird · Bronzed Cowbird vs Brown-headed Cowbird · Brown-headed Cowbird vs Giant Cowbird

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