According to co-author Brenton Cooper, a neuroscientist who studies speech and language, cowbirds briefly hold their breath ...

Cowbird mothers abandon their eggs in the nests of other bird species, but the chicks somehow manage to find their flock and learn what they really are. By Elizabeth Preston In P.D. Eastman’s classic ...

Every spring I get reports from astonished readers describing a small bird feeding a much larger, obviously begging chick. Can you explain this, readers ask. The answer is “brood parasitism.” ...

Some consider brown-headed cowbirds to be a threat. Setting up backyard bird feeders and a birdbath is an easy way to enjoy birdwatching in your own yard while supporting local bird populations. That ...

Many species of birds get reputations of various sorts. One species that gets a bad rap, through no fault of its own, is the brown-headed cowbird. The female cowbird lays its eggs in the nests of ...

Brown-headed cowbirds are hard to love. They aren’t pretty or melodious. And worst of all, they’re deadbeat parents, tricking other birds into rearing their young. Many people regard them as villains.

The observation of three brown-headed cowbirds a few days ago were the first we've ever seen in our yard. The range of these blackbird relatives has been expanding throughout North America this ...

Cowbirds are special among songbirds for the "watery" timbre of their singing, which resembles the sound of falling droplets striking water, a quick burst followed by a fading ripple. Subscribe to our ...

Forbes contributors publish independent expert analyses and insights. GrrlScientist writes about evolution, ecology, behavior and health. Most birders don’t much like cowbirds because the adults lay ...