The Brown-headed Cowbird is a small icterid inhabiting grasslands and forest edges of North America, from central Canada to Mexico. The cowbirds are migratory in the northern parts of their range, but mostly residential in the south. This species is sexually dimorphic; the male is iridescent black with a brown head, and the slightly smaller female is dull grey with a pale throat. The Brown-headed Cowbird is an obligate brood parasite, laying its eggs in the nests of other songbirds (thrushes, New World warblers, New World sparrows, etc.; over 140 species overall). The host species incubates the cowbird eggs, and raises young cowbirds at the expense of their own nestlings. Some parasitized nests contain several cowbird eggs and only 1-2 eggs of the host.

 

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