My Year of Darwin 3/7/2014: I want more cowbird! ...not really

"There are several species of a family allied in structure and manners to our Starling: one of these (Molothrus niger) is remarkable from its habits. Several may often be seen standing together on the back of a cow or horse; and while perched on a hedge, pluming themselves in the sun, they sometimes attempt to sing, or rather hiss; the noise being very peculiar, resembling that of bubbles of air passing rapidly from a small orifice under water, so as to produce an acute sound. According to Azara, this bird, like the cuckoo, deposits its eggs in other birds' nests." Charles Darwin, Voyage of the Beagle

Cowbirds are brood parasites and Darwin comes across the Shiny Cowbird in South America. Cowbirds lay eggs in the nests of other birds and the young will push out the remaining eggs and young of the host. In the US, the Brown-headed Cowbird is the most common brood parasite. However, Shiny and Bronzed are making in-roads into the US. The Shiny has invaded southern Florida and has been moving north and west and the Bronzed Cowbird has been moving north from Mexico. All the cowbirds prefer open habitats (their name implies their association with cows in pastures). Thus their effect will be most strongly be seen on birds in these habitats. Unfortunately, many grassland birds are in decline so having more cowbirds cannot be a good thing. 

Cowbirds can impact forest birds in fragmented landscape, which are now the rule. Several studies show that Brown-headed Cowbirds have impacted populations of forest birds, particularly in the Midwest. [I have my own cowbird paper I need to get out]. 

Here are a couple of Shiny Cowbird videos:

This one shows foraging behavior

This video shows a female Shiny Cowbird trying to lay an egg in the nest of a Chalk-browed Mockingbird. The mockingbird doesn't appreciate it. 

The title is a tribute to this