Parenting Skills of the Brown-Headed Cowbird

brown headed cowbird
Originally posted 2010

Unusual facts about nature are very interesting to me. The harshness of some facts is very hard to understand, but usually there is good reason – even if it isn’t apparent right away. Speaking of “a-parent”, let’s discuss the brown-headed cowbird. (OK, I admit, that was a bad lead-in!)

Basically, the brown-headed cowbird does not parent in the sense that it doesn’t build a nest, incubate, or raise its young. It is what is called a “brood parasite”. Brood parasites deposit their offspring in the nests of others. Brood parasites are not common; they are found in only a few species of birds, fish and insects around the world. Among the avian of North America, only the brown-headed cowbird can claim this title. When the brown-headed cowbird is ready to lay an egg, it searches for a nest that is already inhabited with the eggs of another species of bird. The cowbird is not picky; it will lay its egg in the nests of over 200 “host” species. Most of the host birds do not realize a foreign egg has been laid in their nest. This is exactly what the cowbird is counting on.

Although the cowbird’s egg may look different in color and size of the host bird’s eggs, the ignorantly adoptive mother incubates it along with her own. Once the cowbird chick hatches, the adoptive mother continues to treat it as her own, although the majority of the time, the cowbird hatches early and rapidly grows to be twice her size!

While it may be endearing to see a tiny mother bird feed a Baby Huey hatchling, the cowbird chick can easily exhaust a foster mother finch, sparrow or warbler with its voracious appetite! Most of the time, the addition of an orphan cowbird to a nest does not affect the survival of the existing eggs or hatchlings. The cowbird will get the lion’s share of attention and food, however.

brownheaded cowbird chicks with adoptive mom

Foster Mom to Brown-Headed Cowbird Chicks

Our first thoughts about the parenting practices of the brown-headed cowbird may cause us to consider them as the dead-beat moms and dads of the avian world.

Maybe so, but . . . maybe not.

You see, in the past, a cowbird’s habitat was the great plains. They followed herds of buffalo and cattle (their namesake), as they grazed from range to range, hoping to feed upon the insects flushed out by and surrounding these large animals. Unlike other species of birds, cowbirds were nomadic – they had to follow their food. Instinctively, they knew they did not have time to build a nest, incubate the eggs and raise their chicks. Their food source would be long gone by that time. Thus, they left their young (usually one egg at a time) in the capable beaks of more resourceful birds along their routes. Of course, this isn’t the case now as cattle are confined to fences and not too many wild bison are roaming the range, but I guess not enough time has passed for the cowbird’s life pattern to adapt to present times.

I believe the message here is this: Sometimes we don’t understand why things are done the way they are until we are forced to walk in another person’s shoes or happen to come to know their history. I believe the majority of the time good intentions are deeply rooted in most decisions, no matter how controversial they may be. The brown-headed cowbird isn’t lazy, irresponsible, or as cold-heartedly cruel as it first seems to be. The cowbird is merely continuing the practice (albeit outdated) of making the best of a bad situation, to ensure its offspring has a good chance of survival.

Now that’s a good parent.

 

Until next time,

Cindy

 

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