Hi - I spotted this bird today in southern Michigan, US. The drab color makes me assume its female, but all the usual suspects around here have more patterning then this one. If the pictures aren’t clear enough, it had a solid light grey back and solid light tan belly. Its almost is like a Junco but the coloring is all off.
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Michigan - female bird? (1 Viewer)
- Thread starter qexnar
- Start date
Harrybongo
Well-known member
Hi. Yep, agree with, B h Cowbird - pale throat, finally streaked breast/belly/flank etc. The only similar/confusing species being, Shiny Cowbird, which, is quite rare, I believe, and has an overall darker reddish - brown appearance and very faint, if any, streaking to the belly flank etc..... also, has a darker, thinner bill.
nartreb
Speak softly and carry a long lens
In Michigan, this is unquestionably a brown-headed cowbird. This time of year it is at least a year eight months old, so I think it's safe to identify as female.
edit; yep, juveniles (which look a lot like females) molt into "first winter plumage" (which is very similar to adult plumage) in their first autumn. Since you've got a few weeks until this year's juveniles start hatching, any female-looking cowbird you see today is definitely female.
edit; yep, juveniles (which look a lot like females) molt into "first winter plumage" (which is very similar to adult plumage) in their first autumn. Since you've got a few weeks until this year's juveniles start hatching, any female-looking cowbird you see today is definitely female.
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