Bird with Tusks (wanna share my meal?)

Bird with Tusks (wanna share my meal?)

This is a Cowbird, new to our garden, smallest N American Blackbird. Thought this was a comical shot.

Apparently these are the only parasitic birds in Canada, - the female cowbirds find a suitable nest of another bird, remove one of the host bird's eggs, lay one egg at a time in other birds' nests, (usually finch, warbler or vireo nests) and when the cowbird egg hatches, the baby cowbird crowds out the baby finches, and the parent finches are left to feed this much larger cowbird baby. I feel like chasing these guys away : )

Created by: Alandrapal.

Tools Used: digital

Created on: 2 May 2006

Image Views: 143

Average Views per Day: 0.2

Image Number: 24270

Comments:

Vicki (TravlynWomyn) from Northumberland, PA - for the summer on May 29, 2006 at 10:46 PM said:

Carol, if you get back here, you are right. Cowbirds are black with brown heads. This shot is priceless, Alandra - whatever is in its mouth does indeed look like a fang! And a personal thanks for identifying it correctly. Florida-raised Mike has Cowbirds and Cattle Egret confused - ironically, the cattle egret is ALSO a parasite and will damage other eggs ina heronry to take over the nest.

Alandra from westcoast Canada on May 5, 2006 at 8:05 PM said:

Hi Jan, good to see you here, and am glad you are enjoying it! Hope you get to see the hummingbirds. Yes, I do remember the Cuckoo's call and was thinking about them having that same nasty habit. Thank goodness not many birds do that.

Jan from Southampton England on May 5, 2006 at 7:48 PM said:

Much the same nasty habit as the English Cuckoo(Do you remember its call). Having some much needed time out exploring your Gallery, thanks for all your lovely pics.So relaxing.

Alandra from westcoast Canada on May 5, 2006 at 4:20 PM said:

thanks again, Dud, Carol and Mary in Kent. Glad you like it, it made me smile. Carol, they are the smallest N.American Blackbird, but also called cowbirds, I just read about them in the bird book, hadn't seen them here before.

Mary Slade from Kent on May 5, 2006 at 1:05 PM said:

So wonderfully close Alandra- and something in its mouth- brilliant!

Shutterbug from Maine on May 5, 2006 at 11:22 AM said:

I think we have those birds here, I been calling them black birds, the ones we have do have a brown on their heads.

Carol

Dud from Louisiana on May 5, 2006 at 10:48 AM said:

This is another great shot!!

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