Sparrow Adopts Cowbird

[Mikell]

A couple of weeks ago, I was amazed to see a couple of birds on our backyard deck and at the feeder there. One was a tiny Sparrow and it appeared to be getting seeds from the feeder and actually feeding them to the other MUCH BIGGER bird sitting on the deck waiting for its meal. The bigger bird was obviously a fledgling...and even more obviously...not the same species as its mother. Thanks to Kelly and my son Ben, I found out it was a Cowbird and it seems that these birds lay their eggs in the nest of other birds. When the Cowbird baby hatches, it will often push the other chicks out of the nest and its "adopted" mother ends up with only one BIG BABY to look after. That appears to be exactly what I was seeing...and it was amazing to me...and more than a little comical. I took a few pictures ...and yesterday they came back and I got a couple more with both of them on the feeder (last two shots)...seems the "baby" Cowbird has learned to get its own seeds...but is still with its Sparrow mom.







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[Matt]

now that's cool. I didn't know they did that. Keep us updated!

[champy1013]

NOT MY PIC - they do this in england, but it's the cuckoo birds:


credit: http://www.flickr.com/photos/37441020@N05/

[Mikell]

I HAD heard that about Cuckoos too. They're even bigger than Cowbirds! Poor Sparrows...they're going to have to start watching their nests better!