A flash of red
You’re bound to see
And then you’ll hear
His “oka-l-e-e-e.”
Brown-headed Cowbird
Molothrus ater
The coffee-brown head and black body of the male are distinctive, but in fall the brown head shows more of a purplish tinge. The young, while larger than sparrows, could be confusing since they are olive-brown above with a buffy scaled appearance. The underparts show brown streaking. The female is dusky gray.
They feed near grazing animals and consume quantities of insects which are disturbed by the herds. In winter they join other flocking birds for migration. Then they feed on small seeds.
They build no nest but lay eggs in the nests of vireos, warblers, sparrows or flycatchers and depend on the foster parents to rear the young. The white, evenly speckled-with-brown egg usually hatches before the eggs of the rightful owner and the young Cowbird immediately tries to push the other eggs or young out of the nest. He wants all the food for himself. Some birds destroy the unwanted eggs, others desert their own nest or build a new structure which covers the eggs, but most species raise the young Cowbird. Such habits are not condoned in the best bird circles.
Gurgling notes of the male offer a soothing note to nature, when flocks of these birds join other blackbirds in the treetops. The female has a chattering note which is distinctive.