What is this bird?????

94BULLITT · Jul 11, 2013

I know it is a young bird. It has grown quite a a lot in the past week. It is very friendly. You can come within 2 or 3 feet of it. It bobs it's head like a Dove

Larro Darro · Jul 11, 2013

It's hard to say without knowing the colors of the adult birds. The closest I could find searching Birds of Virginia is the Brewer's Blackbird, and it isn't just like it.

jinman · Jul 11, 2013

The coloration, size, and head shape all say it's a sparrow. It's similar to a Vesper's Sparrow or Rufous-crowned Sparrow. Of course, it could also be the Brewer's Blackbird, but it just seems too brown to me. The blackbird is normally much larger than a sparrow and will end up being a dark gray.

/pine · Jul 11, 2013

It looks like a young or female "Cow Bird"

They are known for removing the eggs from other bird's nests and laying their own eggs ...they don't build their own nests and they don't sit on their own eggs...

Western · Jul 11, 2013

/pine said:
It looks like a young or female "Cow Bird"
.

That was my 1st thought too. Also has a "look" as do some finches here (without the colors)\

Or an NSA operative in disguise!!!

fordmantpw · Jul 11, 2013

/pine said:
They are known for removing the eggs from other bird's nests and laying their own eggs ...they don't build their own nests and they don't sit on their own eggs...

Wow, that's pretty darn sneaky! Lazy ba$tards! :laughing:

Dr_Zinj · Jul 11, 2013

I'd say a young cowbird too.

samhudson3 · Jul 11, 2013

Yep, it's a female juvenile brown headed cowbird. Looks harmless, but they are nasty creatures...

MossRoad · Jul 11, 2013

Here's a good read on cow birds.
COWBIRDS ARE NOT AS NICE AS THEY SEEM

And here's a link to a google image search of cowbirds. Looks good to me.
cowbird - Google Search

MossRoad · Jul 11, 2013

samhudson3 said:
Yep, it's a female juvenile brown headed cowbird. Looks harmless, but they are nasty creatures...

Actually, read the link I posted. Its quite surprising.

the old grind · Jul 11, 2013

I gotta laugh at this one. My yard is sandy & the lawn is somewhat sparse. Robins, starlings, redwing bbs, flickers, and an occasional brown thrasher run in my yard daily like flocks of chickens, gobbling ants like it's their last meal. Starlings are second only to raccoons for disassembling metal trim on my house & barn looking for nesting and pooping opportunities. Cowbirds are $%#@s to me just on principle.

I hadn't seen many cowbirds this year, but was tickled to see several immature females like those above hop down onto the deck railing with the young starlings that hatched in the soffit above my kitchen window. Nya-na-NI-na-nah ... It's like sweet revenge to see 'em there.

94BULLITT · Jul 11, 2013

Thanks for the replies, now I know it is a cow bird. Thanks for the link MossRoad. I had never heard of a cow bird before. Are they are this friendly to humans?

Larro Darro · Jul 11, 2013

Thanks for the link Moss. I had never heard of them before. Down here in Fl cow birds mean the white African cattle egret. They used to flock to the field when I mowed the hay. Often they will fly between me and the upright muffler on my old 3930.

dusty3030 · Jul 11, 2013

94BULLITT said:
Thanks for the replies, now I know it is a cow bird. Thanks for the link MossRoad. I had never heard of a cow bird before. Are they are this friendly to humans?

Sure they are nice to humans. If you get infested with bugs just be calm and still and they will hop up on you and pick them off of you.

Bill 55 · Jul 12, 2013

Starlings and cowbirds are targets of opportunity around my place

MRSDOUGLAS · Jul 12, 2013

I have read a program to trap and kill the females during breeding season as they are parasitic and are a detriment to native songbirds. Pretty sure I couldn't do it myself though. :|

caps · Jul 12, 2013

Folks around here have been advised to shoot them. They are an invasive species on the east coast and are having a severe effect on the population of native songbirds.

94BULLITT · Jul 12, 2013

I did not see it today. I have 2 stray cats running around, maybe one of them got it.

MossRoad · Jul 15, 2013

caps said:
Folks around here have been advised to shoot them. They are an invasive species on the east coast and are having a severe effect on the population of native songbirds.

Are you talking about cow birds of ferral cats?

caps · Jul 15, 2013

Quote Originally Posted by caps View Post
Folks around here have been advised to shoot them. They are an invasive species on the east coast and are having a severe effect on the population of native songbirds.

MossRoad said:
Are you talking about cow birds of ferral cats?

I was speaking of cow birds although ferral cats are a problem too.

I am reminded of a funny story about cats. I was listening to a live call-in radio station (veterinary advice type) over on the eastern Shore of Maryland and someone called in to say that they had too many cats in their barn and would anyone like to have them. Shortly thereafter an alongshoreman called in to say, "Sure, I'll take as many as you got. They are good bait for my crab pots. Their fur holds them together and they last a good long time ".
The radio people were appalled and were having a hard time making denials without laughing.