Chipping Sparrows with Cowbird chicks
The Brown-headed Cowbird, Molothrus ater, is a nest parasite, that is, it lays its eggs in other species nests and doesn’t raise its own young. Apparently the female Cowbird will often keep an eye on the fate of its egg, and will retaliate when it is ejected by the hosts by destroying their nest. It will then place another egg in the newly built nest. (See paper by Jeffrey Hoover and Scott Robinson) This would tend to go against the theory that the Cowbird became a nest parasite because of a nomadic life following Buffalo herds.
Chipping Sparrows,Spizella passerina, breed in our yard every year and it was interesting to see that they have two Cowbird chicks begging for food at the moment. I wonder if they may brag to other Sparrow pairs about their oversize offspring. “Look what we did”.
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Wow excellent Harold! Two birds I’ve never seen and will probably never see for a beautiful picture! Well done!
Comment by Chris — July 12, 2010 @ 4:42 pm
Thanks Chris, I appreciate it.
..Harold
Comment by Harold — July 15, 2010 @ 10:38 pm