Birda Logo
Features
Birda+
About
Species Guide
Challenges
Shop
loading...

Bronze-brown Cowbird

Molothrus armenti

The bronzed cowbird, Molothrus aeneus, is a small icterid bird with a distinctive appearance. The male is resplendent with green-bronze, gloss-black plumage and, during the breeding season, exhibits striking red eyes, which otherwise are brown. He measures about 20 cm in length and weighs approximately 68 g. The female, slightly smaller at 18.5 cm and 56 g, is less conspicuous with her dull black feathers and a brown underbelly, complemented by brown eyes. Juveniles resemble the female but can be identified by grey feather fringes.

Identification Tips

To identify the bronzed cowbird, look for the male's glossy green-bronze plumage and red eyes during the breeding season. Outside of this period, their eyes are brown. Females and young birds are duller with brown underbellies and eyes, with juveniles sporting grey feather edges.

Habitat

Bronzed cowbirds are typically found in farmland, brush, and feedlots. They adapt to very open habitats outside the breeding season and roost in dense woodlands.

Distribution

These birds breed across a range that includes the U.S. states of California, Arizona, New Mexico, Texas, and Louisiana, extending south through Central America to Panama. The subspecies M. a. loyei inhabits the southwestern United States and northwestern Mexico, M. a. assimilis is found in southwestern Mexico, and the nominate subspecies, M. a. aeneus, resides in South Texas and from eastern Mexico to central Panama.

Behaviour

Bronzed cowbirds are obligate brood parasites, laying their eggs in the nests of other bird species, such as Prevost's ground-sparrows and white-naped brush finches. The cowbird chicks are then raised by the host parents, often at the expense of the host's own offspring. These birds forage in open areas, frequently near cattle, and leave the nest rapidly after hatching, within 10 to 12 days.

Diet and Feeding

The diet of the bronzed cowbird primarily consists of seeds and insects. During the breeding season, they also consume snails as a source of calcium.

Conservation status

The bronzed cowbird is currently listed as Least Concern by the IUCN, indicating that it is not at immediate risk of population decline or habitat loss.

Similar Species

The bronze-brown cowbird, found on the Caribbean coast of Colombia, was once considered an isolated population of the bronzed cowbird but is now recognized as a separate species.

App logo
Birda is a birdwatching app and community aimed at curious people who want to deepen their connection with nature.

More Oropendolas, Orioles, Blackbirds

A photo of a Greyish Baywing (Agelaioides badius)

Greyish Baywing

Agelaioides badius
Birda Logo

Your birdwatching journey like never before

Connect with nature in minutes
Take a walk, look out of the window and log the birds that you see. Feel good about those little connections to nature.
Discover the joy of birding
Find new birding spots, see more birds, share and celebrate with a like-minded community of nature lovers.
Play your part in saving nature
Logging your birding sightings and sessions turns into positive action for our planet. Every sighting counts.

Birda Blog

What Our Birders Say
Ellesse_W
Learning Birding with Birda
I’m relatively new to birding as a hobby, and Birda is a great way to keep track off all the species I see. I’m still working on my ID skills, but the app is great for figuring out potential species, and the online community is so friendly and helpful. Definitely recommend Birda to both early and serious birders! 🐦
Erna M
I really like Birda
I really like Birda. I also use other birding apps and have Birda with E-bird going at the same time.
Marlster24
Recommend for any bird watcher
Very wholesome app: I joined this app with a new interest in watching birds to help me find out what I was spotting. The community is very active in helping identify birds which is great and everyone is very kind so it’s just a nice wholesome community. I would definitely recommend this for any bird spotter 😃
Mike T
Sense of Community
A great app, which is continually being improved. What really comes through is the passion of those behind the app. The sense of community is brilliant, so much help and support provided to new and/or in experienced birders.
EandB17
Terrific App for Birders
Downloaded Birda around the time my interest in birding was sparked, and it has been a terrific app to help me (1) share my experience, (2) document my sightings, and (3) learn more about birds in general. That said, I also believe Birda is a fantastic app for birders of all experience levels. Great community!
778
Great bird recording
For a while I’ve been trying to find an app to easily record bird lists and day out and struggled to find one that I like. Birda is great for this, straightforward and a great community!
Jane N
A great app
Enjoying it immensely and finding it useful too. Recording the different birds and counting them is showing me how the present climate is affecting them all. I've trebled the numbers by planting native hedging. A great app.
Sacha0508
Simply fantastic
I love this app, it puts so much fun into recording the birds I’ve seen and heard while I’m out and about. The interface is user-friendly and suitable for all ages. It’s great to collect badges and to review my “lists”.
Abi.M
Awesome App
I really enjoy using this app! It is such a friendly community of bird-lovers who are happy to help if I need ID advice. It’s been great motivation to get outdoors and go birding more! 10/10 😍😍
Talli A
My favourite app
As a young birdwatcher who was always keen to be apart of a community but never seemed to find one, my problem was solved downloading this!!! Everyone is so friendly and just as excited to see birds as me 😁
As featured in
Birda Logo
AboutPressAmbassadorsAffiliatesInfluencersCareersPrivacyTerms & Conditions
An app for birdwatchers
Connect with us
Copyright © 2024 Chirp Birding. All rights reserved.