Bronzed cowbird facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Bronzed cowbird |
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| Conservation status | |
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| Genus: |
Molothrus
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| Species: |
aeneus
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| Range of M. aeneus Breeding range Year round range | |
The bronzed cowbird is a small bird. Its scientific name is Molothrus aeneus. It was once known as the red-eyed cowbird.
These birds live in the southern United States. You can find them from California to Louisiana. They also live south through Central America to Panama. Bronzed cowbirds like farmlands, bushy areas, and places where animals are fed. When they are not breeding, they prefer open spaces. They often rest in thick woods.
Where They Live and What They Eat
Bronzed cowbirds look for food in open areas. They often stay near cattle in pastures. Their main diet is seeds and insects. During the breeding season, they also eat snails. Snails give them calcium, which is important for laying eggs.
There are three types, or subspecies, of bronzed cowbirds:
- M. a. loyei: This type lives in the southwestern United States and northwestern Mexico.
- M. a. assimilis: You can find this type in southwestern Mexico.
- M. a. aeneus: This is the main type. It lives in southern Texas and from eastern Mexico to central Panama.
A bird called the bronze-brown cowbird was once thought to be the same species. But now we know it is a different bird. It lives only on the Caribbean coast of Colombia.
What They Look Like
Male bronzed cowbirds are about 20 centimeters (8 inches) long. They weigh around 68 grams (2.4 ounces). Their feathers are black with a shiny green-bronze color. During breeding season, their eyes are red. At other times, their eyes are brown.
Female bronzed cowbirds are a bit smaller. They are about 18.5 centimeters (7.3 inches) long. They weigh around 56 grams (2 ounces). Females are dull black with a brown belly. Their eyes are brown. Young bronzed cowbirds look similar to females. They have gray edges on their feathers.
Brood Parasites
Like all cowbirds, the bronzed cowbird is a "brood parasite." This means it lays its eggs in the nests of other birds. The other birds, called "host parents," then raise the cowbird chicks. This happens instead of raising their own young.
Some birds that host bronzed cowbirds include the Prevost's ground-sparrow and the White-naped brush finch. The young cowbirds grow very fast. They leave the host nest after only 10 to 12 days.
See also
In Spanish: Vaquero de ojos rojos para niños
Bronzed cowbird species account at Neotropical Birds (Cornell Lab of Ornithology) Molothrus aeneus in Field Guide: Birds of the World on Flickr
