Who likes brown-headed cowbirds? (1 Viewer)

[MarkGelbart]

I know many birders hate cowbirds because of their parasitic behavior, but I find them fascinating. Their survival stategy is ingenius.

I'm against control programs that destroy cowbirds in order to protect endangered species. It was humans that caused some species of birds to become endangered. Cowbirds are unfairly scapegoated.

Parasitized birds have co-existed with cowbirds for millions of years. Cowbirds never caused a species of bird to become extinct or rare as far as is known to science.

I wrote about Pleistocene cowbirds in my latest blog.
http://markgelbart.wordpress.com/2012/06/08/pleistocene-cowbirds/

 

[Andrew Whitehouse]

A few years ago I got a chance to visit the research station of Drew King and Meredith West at the University of Indiana. They do a lot of research on cowbird behaviour, which is really interesting particularly in terms of how this is connected with research on humans:
http://www.indiana.edu/~aviary/index.htm

 

[lmans66]

I love their 'gurgling' sound...is that enough to say I like em...jim

 

[Lisa W]

They aren't my favorite birds and I have a fair number at my backyard feeders every year. However, I can't blame them for doing what nature intended. On the other hand there is a very healthy population of Cowbirds, and if weaning them back in order for a bird, like the Kirkland Warbler, to continue I don't have a problem with that either.

 

[MarkGelbart]

They aren't my favorite birds and I have a fair number at my backyard feeders every year. However, I can't blame them for doing what nature intended. On the other hand there is a very healthy population of Cowbirds, and if weaning them back in order for a bird, like the Kirkland Warbler, to continue I don't have a problem with that either.

I doubt there's any scientific evidence that cowbird control programs have helped save any endangered species.

 

[fugl]

I doubt there's any scientific evidence that cowbird control programs have helped save any endangered species.

Not even Kirtland's Warbler? Just asking, as I have no basis for a definite opinion one way or the other about this specific case, though I agree with the futility of cowbird control programs in general.

And yes, I like cowbirds. In Reno, the first courting parties appear at the tops of the cottonwoods in May and are true harbingers of spring.

 

[Chris D]

In the Sierra Nevada (National Parks and such) they've followed roads up into areas with grazing cattle and horse corrals. Brutal on nesting warblers. Ofcourse it's the fault of us settler'z - still tough though.

 

[MarkGelbart]

Not even Kirtland's Warbler? Just asking, as I have no basis for a definite opinion one way or the other about this specific case, though I agree with the futility of cowbird control programs in general.

And yes, I like cowbirds. In Reno, the first courting parties appear at the tops of the cottonwoods in May and are true harbingers of spring.

http://www.aba.org/birding/v36n4p374.pdf

According to this guy, cowbird control programs had no impact on Kirtland warbler populations. The only time this endangered species increased is when biologists lost control of a fire and it burned more territory and improved habitat for the endangered bird.

 

[fugl]

http://www.aba.org/birding/v36n4p374.pdf

Interesting article--thanks for the link

 

[vaubu]

Just yesterday I was thinking I like Cowbirds, but also a little weary. I was in a field where several were foraging with their young when I happened across a Gray-blue Gnatcatcher trying to keep up with a persistent young Cowbird that she must have hatched. The discrepancy in size seemed painful. Thank you for sharing the intersting articles Mark! Despite knowing how dreadfully poor so many attempts to control species' population has been I still tend to think good management attempts are better that no attempts at all, though nature does have a mysterious way of bringing things into balance and it would probably behoove us to practice more patience in the face of these patterns that run on a clock much different than our own 9 to 5 mentality.

 

[sacha kindi]

It is too bad the cowbirds spoil their reputation with their one obnoxious habit, because outside of their parasitic behavior they are quite the entertaining birds, especially during courtship. They have a lovely warbling song and do neat mating displays. I had two males competing over one female for weeks in my yard and they were a great show.

One of the mysteries of ornithology, so I have heard, is how cowbirds recognize members of their own species when it comes mating time. Especially since the sexes look completely different.

 

[John Cantelo]

I'm sure an awful lot of people on this side of the Atlantic would love cowbirds if one turned up in Cornwall (or pick the west coast county of your choice).

As to whether or not the culling programme is helping Kirtland's Warbler to survive, what little I've read seems to suggests so. Being restricted to a small area and with a small population it wouldn't need much additional pressure to tip that species into extinction. So until there is very secure evidence to the contrary I'd play it safe and continue the culling programme

 

[fugl]

Apropos of nothing much, I'm continually surprised at how much animosity is felt towards nest parasites as compared to predators say. Cooper's Hawks routinely eat their prey alive--I've actually witnessed this on a couple of occasions--& Western scrub-jays pop whole live nestlings into the gullets of their own young, yet many people admire the hawks & make pets of the jays (I know I do). All the cowbird normally does is destroy a few eggs, yet is excoriated for it. The cuckoo, admittedly--doubtless mainly because of the plaintive & evocative song--has a much better press, in spite of the brutal way in which its nestlings typically treat the eggs & nestlings of its hosts.

This is not to say that cowbird control might not occasionally be necessary. But the same can be said of hawks & jays.

 

[Mayo Corncrake]

http://www.aba.org/birding/v36n4p374.pdf

According to this guy, cowbird control programs had no impact on Kirtland warbler populations. The only time this endangered species increased is when biologists lost control of a fire and it burned more territory and improved habitat for the endangered bird.

How many studies have proven otherwise? I would agree with John Cantelo and would not risk the extinction of Kirtland warblers and would continue the control of cowbird numbers.

 

[lulubelle]

I have visited Ft Hood on a birding trip led by the man quoted as a resource in that article. They have seen a huge positive impact on the Black-capped Vireo population since they have enforced their cowbird control program. While the cowbird may have evolved an ingenious method survival via parasitism, the continued habitat destruction literally opened the way for increased rates of parasitism of certain species. It would make sense to let nature do what it has for thousands if years, but habitat is destroyed daily and certain species simply will not evolve protective mechanisms fast enough time to keep up with the increased rates of parasitism.

Referencing the Kirtlands Warbler, habitat is managed now more for the convenience of humans and certainly not done the way it would be done if humans had no impact. Naturally occurring forest fires benefitted many species. It sounds like the wrong habitat managements practices are in place possibly. I think it is shame to have a species become extinct in this day & time, especially if we are the primary cause.

 

[dacol]

...outside of their parasitic behavior they are quite the entertaining birds, especially during courtship. They have a lovely warbling song and do neat mating displays...

Fully agree with this! The Brown-headed Cowbirds put quite a show, reminds me of the displays of the Crested Oropendula in South America.

...I'm continually surprised at how much animosity is felt towards nest parasites as compared to predators say. Cooper's Hawks routinely eat their prey alive--I've actually witnessed this on a couple of occasions--& Western scrub-jays pop whole live nestlings into the gullets of their own young, yet many people admire the hawks & make pets of the jays (I know I do). All the cowbird normally does is destroy a few eggs, yet is excoriated for it...

Indeed, I think it strikes some deep chords in the human psyche. I have seen birders so angry at the very existence of cowbirds that they refused to even look at them!

Dalcio