bethie
Highly Skillful
Joined: 08 Jun 2006
Location: WestTennessee (Map)
Posts: 1593
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| Posted: Fri Jul 20, 2007 1:00 pm Post subject: Cowbird Facts |
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Cowbirds are brood parasites. They are unable to make their own nests so they lay eggs in other birds nests. They tend to hatch earlier than the hosts, grow faster and so get the lions share of the food. They are very detrimental to endangered warblers. We try to keep and eye on our nests to see what is going on. This is inside the bluebird house where a cowbird egg is clearly visible.
Needless to say That egg is history!
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cajunbelle
Daylily Diva
Joined: 04 Jun 2006
Location: zone 8b Louisiana (Map)
Posts: 3035
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| Posted: Fri Jul 20, 2007 1:05 pm Post subject: |
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Wow Bethie, interesting, I did not know that. I have learned my new thing for the day.
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Sharon
Phil. 4:13
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eileen
Moderator & Resident Taxonomist
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Joined: 07 Feb 2005
Location: Scotland (Map)
Posts: 11445
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| Posted: Fri Jul 20, 2007 1:08 pm Post subject: |
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Cowbirds are like our British cuckoos. They have the same habit of laying their eggs in other birds nests - usually warblers. When the young hatch they push out all the other eggs/chicks so that the 'parent' birds feed only them.
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Frank
Happy Gardening
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Joined: 25 Jan 2005
Location: Malmö, Sweden
Posts: 9349
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| Posted: Fri Jul 20, 2007 1:11 pm Post subject: |
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Yep that's the cuckoo's behaviour alright. Never heard of Cowbirds before Bethie, I've dug up a slideshow:
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bethie
Highly Skillful
Joined: 08 Jun 2006
Location: WestTennessee (Map)
Posts: 1593
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| Posted: Fri Jul 20, 2007 1:50 pm Post subject: |
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Thanks, Frank. The cuckoos here in the States are not parasitic like the European ones.
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DaphDaph
On The Way Up
Joined: 07 Jul 2007
Location: Lowcountry in South Carolina (Map)
Posts: 146
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| Posted: Tue Jul 24, 2007 12:21 am Post subject: |
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They sure are cute. They must serve some purpose.
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teddybear
Showing Great Promise
Joined: 26 Mar 2007
Location: zone 6B, TX
Posts: 299
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| Posted: Tue Jul 24, 2007 1:35 pm Post subject: |
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Thanks for the slide show...saved me a google.
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