Birds of Texas

Brown Headed Cowbird ((Molothrus ater) 7-8"

 BHCB.GIF (54863 bytes)

(Click to enlarge)

© Walter Bauer, Sugar Land, Texas - 1998

Field Marks:

                        A rather small blackbird with a short, conical sparrow-like bill. The Male has a brown head. The female is uniformly gray. The finch like bill is a good mark.
Voice: Chuck. Also chatter. The flight note is weeee-titi ( a high whistle, two lower notes). The song is a bubbly and creaky glug-glug gleeee with the last note being on the high pitch.
Where found: United States - Mexico border to west Panama.
Texas: Resident in south Texas north to Eagle Pass, San Antonio (rare) and the central coast.

Habitat: Woodlands, mesquite, citrus groves, towns.

Nest: "NONE"; Lays its blue-green eggs in nests of other species and most often in an orioles nest.