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By Jim Bywaters
Rappahannock News Writer
The Brown-headed Cowbird (Molothrus ater) is a smallish bird, several inches smaller than the American Robin. The male is glossy black, with a chocolate brown head. The female Brown-headed Cowbird is gray-brown with a lighter brown head.
County residents who feed birds are most likely familiar with cowbirds. The cowbirds will flock to feeders and eat until they have completely emptied them. The other, more favorable birds are left to sit and watch.
Over the last few years many ■ species of songbirds have shown ! a decline in numbers. Many factors have contributed to this decline but the Brown-headed Cowbird is at the top of list.
The reason the cowbird has been accused is amazing.
Interestingly, the cowbird is a “parasitic” bird. Each spring, while other birds are finding mates, establishing territories, and gathering nesting material to begin building a nest that will house their young, the Brown-headed Cowbird is plotting and scheming.
There are about 750 species of parasitic birds worldwide.
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