Rondeau Ric

 Stay out of dark alleys, you don't want to mess with this guy. April 18, 2024, Brown headed cowbird, Rondeau Provincial Park, Ontario, Canada. Molothrus ater Brown-headed Cowbird lay eggs in the nests of more than 220 species of birds. Recent genetic analyses have shown that most individual females specialize on one particular host species.

Rondeau Provincial Park, Ontario, Canada, April 19, 2021. A pair of cowbirds in the little stream portion of the water feature in the yard. That is the whole length of the stream. It doesn't need to be large to bring in the birds. Ninety-nine species at the water and counting. Molothrus ater Once confined to the open grasslands of middle North America, cowbirds have surged in numbers and range as humans built towns and cleared woods.

Rondeau Provincial Park, Ontario, Canada, June 29, 2020. Molothrus ater Females forgo building nests and instead put all their energy into producing eggs, sometimes more than three dozen a summer. These they lay in the nests of other birds, abandoning their young to foster parents, usually at the expense of at least some of the host’s own chicks. Once confined to the open grasslands of middle North America, cowbirds have surged in numbers and range as humans built towns and cleared woods. source - https://www.allaboutbirds.org/guide/Brown-headed_Cowbird/

Rondeau Provincial Park, Ontario, Canada, May 14, 2018. An Eastern Kingbird and a Brown-headed cowbird had a difference of opinion about who had first choice of a perch. The kingbird won. Eastern Kingbird Tyrannus tyrannus Brown-headed Cowbird Molothrus ater