• Cowbirds

    From jmcquown@21:1/5 to All on Sat Feb 6 13:05:09 2021
    Brown headed cowbirds. I noticed a number of them showing up at the
    seed feeder. I promptly brought the feeder inside. There have been a
    large number of other birds coming to the feeder including common
    (house) sparrows, red and purple finches. Cowbirds are notorious for
    laying eggs in other birds' nests. Sorry, the seed eating birds in the
    area will have to wait until the cowbirds depart. It's for their own good.

    Thankfully, cowbirds don't have the ability to cling to suet cages. So
    I brought the seed feeder inside and left the suet cage. There have
    been a plethora of birds at the suet. Brilliant Northern Bluebirds
    (male and female). Carolina Wrens. Southern Chickadees. Red Bellied Woodpeckers (male and female). Downy Woodpeckers (male and female).
    Northern Flickers. What appear to be Pine Warblers.

    As always, they all appreciate the fresh water in the bird bath.

    The cowbirds need to go away.

    Jill in Southern South Carolina

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  • From Paul Drahn@21:1/5 to jmcquown on Sat Feb 6 12:09:34 2021
    On 2/6/2021 10:05 AM, jmcquown wrote:
    Brown headed cowbirds.  I noticed a number of them showing up at the
    seed feeder.  I promptly brought the feeder inside.  There have been a large number of other birds coming to the feeder including common
    (house) sparrows, red and purple finches.  Cowbirds are notorious for
    laying eggs in other birds' nests.  Sorry, the seed eating birds in the
    area will have to wait until the cowbirds depart.  It's for their own good.

    Thankfully, cowbirds don't have the ability to cling to suet cages.  So
    I brought the seed feeder inside and left the suet cage.  There have
    been a plethora of birds at the suet.  Brilliant Northern Bluebirds
    (male and female).  Carolina Wrens.  Southern Chickadees.  Red Bellied Woodpeckers (male and female).  Downy Woodpeckers (male and female). Northern Flickers.  What appear to be Pine Warblers.

    As always, they all appreciate the fresh water in the bird bath.

    The cowbirds need to go away.

    Jill in Southern South Carolina
    Around here, Central Oregon, the cowbirds are particular and use only
    Brewers blackbird nests. Last year I did not see a single Brewers baby,
    but several cowbird babies being fed by Brewers.
    The crows raided the Brewers nests about once a week and took all the
    brewer babies. but seem to have left the cowbird babies. Strange.
    Paul

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