I Need Less Cowbird

There are very few birds whose presence truly upsets me. The Brown Headed Cowbird is very near to the top of that list. I’m not exactly crazy about brood parasitism particularly in how it affects the outlook for our neotropical migrants. In the past week I have been visited by this very unwanted species. I acquired photographic evidence of this visitation on Sunday, as seen in the picture to the right. They appear to be attracted to safflower seed, as I have also observed them at my deck platform feeder---before firmly inviting them to leave! Happily they have not been regulars here, and in fact I have only seen them a couple of times in all the time I have had feeders at the house. I am hoping the Cowbirds move along and leave our neighborhood nesters in peace. We shall see what happens.