Outdoor Ontario

Request for Information => Bird ID => Topic started by: bronco on July 05, 2014, 11:06:18 AM

Title: Is this Song Sparrow feeding a young Song Sparrow?
Post by: bronco on July 05, 2014, 11:06:18 AM

Any help will be appreciated -- thanks in advance

(http://i1304.photobucket.com/albums/s539/bronco1941/2014-07-05-243_zpse03d4bc7.jpg)

Title: Re: Is this Song Sparrow feeding a young Song Sparrow?
Post by: Rotarran on July 05, 2014, 11:38:19 AM

I think the big one is a Brown Headed Cowbird.  They lay their eggs in other birds' nests and then those unsuspecting birds raise a different species.

Title: Re: Is this Song Sparrow feeding a young Song Sparrow?
Post by: winz on July 05, 2014, 09:32:53 PM

Quote from: "Rotarran"

I think the big one is a Brown Headed Cowbird.  They lay their eggs in other birds' nests and then those unsuspecting birds raise a different species.

I had a Chipping Sparrow feeding a Brown Headed Cowbird chick in my backyard a couple weeks ago.  I guess those Cowbirds don't care whose nest they sneak their eggs into.  Do they ever raise their own?

Title: Re: Is this Song Sparrow feeding a young Song Sparrow?
Post by: Canoncan on July 07, 2014, 08:43:48 PM

Both the Brown-headed Cowbirds and Bronzed Cowbirds are parasitic meaning they lay their eggs in other species nests, Sparrows are a frequent recipient, as are Warblers. Some species are better than others at rejecting them. Yellow Warblers attempt to bury them. Some like Catbirds roll them out.  American Redstarts sometimes lose their own nestlings to the bigger more vocal cowbirds. Some nestlings even lean to vocalize like cowbirds in order to get fed. They ave been known to check up on their young, but they will not raise a brood.