H.J. Ruiz – Avian101

From all the birds I get  in my backyard daily, right now it’s the Brown-headed Cowbird the most numerous, there are more females than males. They are at the feeders at any time of the day, regardless of the weather temperature.

They usually fly in groups and it’s very obvious that they are organized and have a leader that it’s the one that orders when to move on and all the rest will follow immediately. Males are in constant competition among themselves to get females for mating (Reminds me of Spring Break!)

For sure they have a tremendous appetite at the feeders, capable of devouring a great amount of seed in record time. Just imagine of how a large flock of thousands individuals might do in a cultivated field. That’s a good reason for farmers not to like them in their farm crops!

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Text and photographs © HJ Ruiz – Avian101