cowbirds
Nest-invading blackbirds
Cowbirds are North American blackbirds known for brood parasitism—they lay eggs in other birds' nests, leaving the host species to raise their young.
The name comes from their habit of following cattle to feed on insects stirred up by grazing.
A cowbird chick often outcompetes the host's own nestlings for food.
Species using others' nests
- egg layingDepositing fertilized ova externally
- nest parasitismExploiting others' parental care
- foster parentsAdults raising others' children
- host speciesOrganism supporting a parasite
nestling · fledgling · rejection · acceptance · parasitic behavior · cuckoo · reproductive strategy · obligate parasite
Treeless herb-covered ecosystem
- prairieOpen grassy flatland
- cattleDomesticated bovines kept commercially
- bisonLarge wild ox
- grazing animalsLivestock feeding on pasture
foraging · insects · agricultural land · habitat loss · livestock · pasture · open country · feeding behavior
Made brown by sun
- passerinePerching bird order member
- songbirdMelodious perching avian
- plumageBird's complete feather coat
- North AmericaWestern Hemisphere's northern continent
migration · flock · birding · life history · incubation
Policies limiting demographic growth
- habitat restorationReviving degraded natural environments
- species recoveryRebuilding threatened animal populations
- conservation effortOrganized action protecting nature
- threatened speciesWildlife at extinction risk
brood parasite
Species using others' nests
- egg layingDepositing fertilized ova externally
- nest parasitismExploiting others' parental care
- foster parentsAdults raising others' children
host species · nestling · fledgling · rejection · acceptance · parasitic behavior · cuckoo · reproductive strategy · obligate parasite
grassland
Treeless herb-covered ecosystem
grazing animals · foraging · insects · agricultural land · habitat loss · livestock · pasture · open country · feeding behavior · symbiosis
bronzed
Made brown by sun
- passerinePerching bird order member
- songbirdMelodious perching avian
- plumageBird's complete feather coat
North America · migration · flock · birding · life history · incubation
population control
Policies limiting demographic growth
- habitat restorationReviving degraded natural environments
- species recoveryRebuilding threatened animal populations
- conservation effortOrganized action protecting nature
- birdsrobin, crow, eagle, owl, duck
- flock birdsstarlings, geese, crows, pigeons, sparrows
- Icteridsred-winged blackbird, Baltimore oriole, western meadowlark, bobolink, meadowlark
- kleptoparasitescuckoos
cowbirdsnest builders
Animals creating shelters
weaverbirds · emperor penguins · albatrosses · hornbills · bowerbirds
cowbirdshost species
Organism supporting a parasite
warblers · sparrows · vireos · foster parents · yellow warblers