General Description: Brown-headed Cowbirds (Molothrus ater) are medium-sized blackbirds with a conical, pointed, somewhat finch-like bill. Males are all black with a brown head, and females are dark brown above and lighter brown below. Juveniles are even lighter than females and can appear mottled. The tail and bill lengths look "normal" (compare with Great-tailed Grackles, which have become common around Las Vegas in recent years).

Taxonomy: Passeriformes, Icteridae.

Favored Habitat: Cowbirds seem to occur everywhere, but they are most common around pastures and farm fields with horses and cows.

Where to Find: Neighborhood parks (e.g., Lorenzi Park and Sunset Park), parking lots, and the fields and horse pastures around Overton (near the Overton Wildlife Management Area).

Comments: These birds breed by laying eggs in the nests of other birds. The cowbird hatchling then kicks the other eggs or nestlings out of the nest, and the hapless parents are left feeding and raising a cowbird.