Shiny Cowbird
A species of Cowbirds Scientific name : Molothrus bonariensis Genus : Cowbirds
Shiny Cowbird, A species of Cowbirds
Botanical name: Molothrus bonariensis
Genus: Cowbirds
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Description People often ask General Info
Photo By https://www.flickr.com/photos/dariosanches/ , used under CC-BY-SA-2.0 /Cropped and compressed from original 
Description
The shiny Cowbird is named after its glossy feathers and close association with cattle. These birds are considered brood or nest parasites because they manipulate other species to incubate their eggs for them. This has caused some species' populations to suffer, especially in non-native regions where the shiny Cowbird has been introduced.
Size
19 cm (7.5 in)
Life Expectancy
5 years
Nest Placement
Tree
Feeding Habits
Shiny Cowbird's diet consists of invertebrates, seeds, and grains, eating mostly on the ground with a quick pecking motion. They forage by walking briskly, gleaning from the ground or pulling insects from vegetation, and display oriole-like acrobatics in trees. In agricultural settings, they flock with other blackbirds, feeding on unearthed prey following plows, and consume a variety of arthropods and plant seeds, including crops like rice and sorghum.
Habitat
Shiny Cowbird predominantly occupies open and semi-open habitats, thriving in a range of environments from mangrove forests to agricultural landscapes. These birds prefer areas with scattered trees, including orchards, gardens, and parks, as well as scrubby fields and savannas. Shiny Cowbird also adapts well to urban and suburban areas. While some populations are migratory, shiny Cowbird generally favors lower altitudes and warmer climates, expanding their range to exploit new territories cleared of forests. Seasonal movements are observed, particularly in response to rainfall and the nesting activity of host species.
Nest Behavior
Shiny Cowbird lays eggs in the nests of other birds, relying on these hosts for incubation and chick rearing.
Nest Characteristics
Shiny Cowbird does not build nests, as it is a brood parasite species.
Dite type
Omnivorous
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General Info
Feeding Habits
Bird food type
Behavior
Shiny Cowbird display gregarious tendencies, often seen foraging, resting, and roosting in groups ranging from a handful to over a hundred. They exhibit brood parasitism, uniquely relying on other species to incubate their eggs and rear their young. Breeding behavior is promiscuous, with monogamous pairings being short-term and mating happening with multiple partners to align with host species' breeding periods. Daily life involves a social structure where males typically outnumber females in the United States, presenting a skewed sex ratio within small flocks.
Distribution Area
The shiny cowbird is a year-round resident across most of South America, where it lives in open areas such as open forests and cultivated land. Within the last century, the range of the species has shifted northward, and birds have been recorded in the West Indies and southern Florida. This shift in range is due to increased human conversion of forests into open cultivated and agricultural land, habitats which are preferred by the shiny cowbird. This range shift into new regions allows the cowbird to exploit new naive host species. 
Species Status
Not globally threatened.
Photo By https://www.flickr.com/photos/dariosanches/ , used under CC-BY-SA-2.0 /Cropped and compressed from original 
Scientific Classification
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