Cowbird

Female brown -headed cowbird ( Molothrus ater)

The Cowbird ( Molothrus ) are a species of bird in the family of blackbirds ( Icteridae ). This genus includes six species.

The Cowbirds are the only birds from the North American region, which are brood parasites. Like the cuckoo serve them other birds as host animals, including Vireos True or flycatchers. In their case, however, the number of host birds is very much larger than the cuckoo. In the Brown -headed Cowbird one goes from 185-200 different species of birds. Individually or in groups, the larger eggs are laid by the female in the nests, which contain much smaller eggs, however, are similar in color to the parasite eggs. The chicks hatch earlier than the breed of host animals and throw the host brood out of the nest. When the chicks of the host birds survive this crisis and slip, they are much smaller than the Kuhstärlingsbrut and starve or be thrown out of the nest. However, many host animals may occasionally mitaufziehen their own offspring. It is at the brutschmarotzenden Kuhstärlingen assuming that they have previously been brooding self.

Between the pairs there is often a strong bond. In many species the male plant with several females continued during a breeding season.

They feed on seeds and insects. They often follow the cows or other grazing artiodactyls and eat the startled insects.

Species

• Brown -headed Cowbird ( Molothrus ater) ( Boddaert, 1783)
• Braunkuhstärling ( Molothrus badius ) ( Vieillot, 1819)
• Glanzkuhstärling ( Molothrus bonariensis ) ( Gmelin, JF, 1789)
• Rotachsel - Cowbird ( Molothrus rufoaxillaris ) ( Cassin, 1866)
• Riesenkuhstärling ( Molothrus oryzivorus ) ( Gmelin, JF, 1788)
• Rotaugenkuhstärling ( Molothrus aeneus ) ( Wagler, 1829)