They breed from the U.S. states of California, Arizona, New Mexico, Texas, and Louisiana south through Central America to Panama. They tend to be found in farmland, brush, and feedlots. Outside the breeding season, they are found in very open habitats, and roost in thick woods. These birds forage in open areas, often near cattle in pastures. Their diet mostly consists of seeds and insects, along with snails during breeding season for a calcium source.[2] There are three subspecies:[3]
M. a. loyei Parkes & Blake, 1965 is found in the southwestern United States and northwestern Mexico.
M. a. assimilis (Nelson, 1900) is found in southwestern Mexico.
M. a. aeneus (Wagler, 1829), the nominate subspecies, is found in South Texas and from eastern Mexico to central Panama
The bronze-brown cowbird, which is restricted to the Caribbean coast of Colombia, was formerly considered to be an isolated population of this species.[3]
The male bronzed cowbird is 20 cm (7.9 in) long and weighs 68 g (2.4 oz), with green-bronze, gloss-black plumage. His eyes are red in breeding season and brown otherwise. The female is 18.5 cm (7.3 in) long and weighs 56 g (2.0 oz). She is a dull black with a brown underbelly, and has brown eyes. Young birds have coloring similar to the females, with the exception of grey feather fringes.[4]
Like all cowbirds, this bird is an obligate brood parasite; it lays its eggs in the nests of other birds. The young cowbird is fed by the host parents at the expense of their own young. Hosts include Prevost's ground-sparrows and white-naped brush finches. They develop rapidly, leaving the nest after 10–12 days.
Laguna Atascosa National Wildlife Refuge - Texas
Referencesedit
^BirdLife International (2017). "Molothrus aeneus". IUCN Red List of Threatened Species. 2017: e.T22732035A119468342. doi:10.2305/IUCN.UK.2017-3.RLTS.T22732035A119468342.en. Retrieved 19 November 2021.
^"Bronzed Cowbird". Guide to North American Birds. Audubon. 13 November 2014. Retrieved 27 October 2015.
^ abGill, Frank; Donsker, David; Rasmussen, Pamela (eds.). "Oropendolas, orioles, blackbirds". IOC World Bird List. Retrieved 28 December 2020.
Stiles, G.; Skutch, A.F. (1989). A Guide to the Birds of Costa Rica. Comstock. ISBN0-8014-9600-4.
Further readingedit
Lowther, P.E. (1995). "Bronzed Cowbird (Molothrus aeneus)". In Poole, A.; Gill, F. (eds.). The Birds of North America. Philadelphia and Washington, DC: The Academy of Natural Sciences and The American Ornithologists' Union.
External linksedit
Wikimedia Commons has media related to Molothrus aeneus.
Wikispecies has information related to Molothrus aeneus.
Bronzed cowbird photo gallery at VIREO (Drexel University)
Bronzed cowbird species account at Neotropical Birds (Cornell Lab of Ornithology)
Interactive range map of Molothrus aeneus at IUCN Red List maps
Audio recordings of Bronzed cowbird on Xeno-canto.
Molothrus aeneus in Field Guide: Birds of the World on Flickr
April 09, 2024
bronzed, cowbird, bronzed, cowbird, molothrus, aeneus, once, known, eyed, cowbird, small, icterid, conservation, statusleast, concern, iucn, scientific, classificationdomain, eukaryotakingdom, animaliaphylum, chordataclass, avesorder, passeriformesfamily, icte. The bronzed cowbird Molothrus aeneus once known as the red eyed cowbird is a small icterid Bronzed cowbirdConservation statusLeast Concern IUCN 3 1 1 Scientific classificationDomain EukaryotaKingdom AnimaliaPhylum ChordataClass AvesOrder PasseriformesFamily IcteridaeGenus MolothrusSpecies M aeneusBinomial nameMolothrus aeneus Wagler 1829 Range of M aeneus Breeding range Year round rangeThey breed from the U S states of California Arizona New Mexico Texas and Louisiana south through Central America to Panama They tend to be found in farmland brush and feedlots Outside the breeding season they are found in very open habitats and roost in thick woods These birds forage in open areas often near cattle in pastures Their diet mostly consists of seeds and insects along with snails during breeding season for a calcium source 2 There are three subspecies 3 M a loyei Parkes amp Blake 1965 is found in the southwestern United States and northwestern Mexico M a assimilis Nelson 1900 is found in southwestern Mexico M a aeneus Wagler 1829 the nominate subspecies is found in South Texas and from eastern Mexico to central PanamaThe bronze brown cowbird which is restricted to the Caribbean coast of Colombia was formerly considered to be an isolated population of this species 3 The male bronzed cowbird is 20 cm 7 9 in long and weighs 68 g 2 4 oz with green bronze gloss black plumage His eyes are red in breeding season and brown otherwise The female is 18 5 cm 7 3 in long and weighs 56 g 2 0 oz She is a dull black with a brown underbelly and has brown eyes Young birds have coloring similar to the females with the exception of grey feather fringes 4 Like all cowbirds this bird is an obligate brood parasite it lays its eggs in the nests of other birds The young cowbird is fed by the host parents at the expense of their own young Hosts include Prevost s ground sparrows and white naped brush finches They develop rapidly leaving the nest after 10 12 days Laguna Atascosa National Wildlife Refuge TexasReferences edit BirdLife International 2017 Molothrus aeneus IUCN Red List of Threatened Species 2017 e T22732035A119468342 doi 10 2305 IUCN UK 2017 3 RLTS T22732035A119468342 en Retrieved 19 November 2021 Bronzed Cowbird Guide to North American Birds Audubon 13 November 2014 Retrieved 27 October 2015 a b Gill Frank Donsker David Rasmussen Pamela eds Oropendolas orioles blackbirds IOC World Bird List Retrieved 28 December 2020 Bronzed cowbird All About Birds Cornell Lab of Ornithology Retrieved 27 October 2015 Stiles G Skutch A F 1989 A Guide to the Birds of Costa Rica Comstock ISBN 0 8014 9600 4 Further reading editLowther P E 1995 Bronzed Cowbird Molothrus aeneus In Poole A Gill F eds The Birds of North America Philadelphia and Washington DC The Academy of Natural Sciences and The American Ornithologists Union External links edit nbsp Wikimedia Commons has media related to Molothrus aeneus nbsp Wikispecies has information related to Molothrus aeneus BirdLife species factsheet for Molothrus aeneus Molothrus aeneus Avibase nbsp Bronzed cowbird media Internet Bird Collection Bronzed cowbird photo gallery at VIREO Drexel University Bronzed cowbird species account at Neotropical Birds Cornell Lab of Ornithology Interactive range map of Molothrus aeneus at IUCN Red List maps Audio recordings of Bronzed cowbird on Xeno canto Molothrus aeneus in Field Guide Birds of the World on Flickr Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title Bronzed cowbird amp oldid 1183339382, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,
