H.J. Ruiz – Avian101

Today is a National Holiday and I wish you all a great Monday! I also want to bring you a picture that I think has a lot to say and confirms my observations about the behavior in the bird society.

I saw and photographed  two frames of what it shows an Eastern Towhee (M) feeding from the mouth a female Brown-headed cowbird.

My conclusion was that I suspect that the female Brown-headed cowbird is the adopted daughter. Most blackbirds a Parasitic, leave their eggs in other birds nests to be hatched by the host. Some bird species like the Eastern Towhee obviously, accept the foreign eggs and after being hatched the care for the chicks like their own. On the other hand are species that reject and destroy the eggs.

Eastern Towhee(M) feeding Brown-headed Cowbirds (F)