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Birds of Cuba, Vagrant Visitors, Introduced Birds and Possibilities

Cowbirds

Vachers

Icteridae

Lives, Habitats & Pictures of the Cowbirds

There are three types of cowbirds in seen in Cuba.

The Brown-headed Cowbird is the most common and widespread cowbird of the group. The Bronzed Cowbird is found along the southern borders of the USA, Mexico, Central America and the Caribbean islands. The Shiny Cowbird, which is seen in small numbers in North America, prefers a more tropical climate such as Cuba.

The cowbirds are brood parasites, which means that the female cowbird will lay her eggs in the nest of other bird species. These eggs are then abandoned by the cowbirds, leaving them to be hatched and the young cowbirds to be raised by the unknown parent birds of the nest. The young cowbirds are more aggressive than the parent's own young and these young cowbirds will push the young of the parent birds from the nest to perish, ensuring they will get all the food to survive.

Click on the bird names listed below to see pictures of the Cowbirds seen in Cuba

Bronzed Cowbird

Brown-headed Cowbird

Shiny Cowbird

Birds of Cuba