Screaming Cowbird

Molothrus rufoaxillaris

Least Concern · IUCN Red List

LCLeast ConcernSeedsUrbanSmall · 48 g

What the Screaming Cowbird sounds like

Sonogram of the Screaming Cowbird: time runs left to right, pitch bottom to top, and the brighter the mark the louder the sound.
Recorded by Gabriele Magurno · Song · Ezeiza, Ezeiza Partido, Buenos Aires Province, Argentina · CC BY-SA 4.0 · via xeno-canto

ID tip

The screaming cowbird has mildly iridescent black plumage; the lesser under-wing coverts are rufous. The female is slightly duller in colour than the male. The legs are black and the iris is reddish brown. Adult body length is 18–21 cm and mean adult weight is 58 g for males and 48 g for females. The call of the screaming cowbird was first described as "impetuous screaming notes"; however, a more useful description for field identification is noisy, explosive and piercing with rasp-like calls also produced. Screaming cowbirds are mostly seen in pairs or small flocks.

Text from Wikipedia, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0.

When to see the Screaming Cowbird

One bar for each month. Filled bars are the 11 months with records; pale bars are months with none. The wide bar is October, the month with the most records.

Where to see the Screaming Cowbird

Regular range

The map shades 6 countries with regular records. Everything unshaded has no records. Countries are listed below the map.

About the Screaming Cowbird

The screaming cowbird is an obligate brood parasite belonging to the family Icteridae and is found in South America. It is also known commonly as the short billed cowbird.

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

Easily confused with

Side by side: Screaming Cowbird vs Shiny Cowbird · Bronzed Cowbird vs Screaming Cowbird · Giant Cowbird vs Screaming Cowbird · Oriole Blackbird vs Screaming Cowbird · Mexican Cacique vs Screaming Cowbird

Learn the Screaming Cowbird in the BeakBrain App

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