EPISODE · Sep 22, 2025 · 32 MIN
112: Brown-Headed Cowbird Explained: The Bird That Lays Eggs in Other Birds’ Nests
from Birds of a Feather Talk Together · host John Bates, Shannon Hackett, RJ Pole, Amanda Marquart
Why do Brown-headed Cowbirds lay their eggs in other birds' nests—and why don't they raise their own babies?In this episode of Birds of a Feather Talk Together, we're diving into one of the strangest reproductive strategies in the bird world: brood parasitism.Brown-headed Cowbirds don't build nests or raise their own young. Instead, female cowbirds lay their eggs in the nests of other bird species, leaving those birds to incubate the eggs, feed the chicks, and raise the young cowbirds—sometimes even when the cowbird chick becomes much larger than its foster parents.Field Museum ornithologists and Curators of Birds John Bates and Shannon Hackett join RJ and Amanda Pole to explain how Brown-headed Cowbird brood parasitism works, why this unusual behavior evolved, how cowbirds find other birds' nests, and what happens after a cowbird egg appears.Why do cowbirds lay eggs in other birds' nests? Do Brown-headed Cowbirds ever build nests? How do they choose which nests to parasitize? Can other birds recognize a cowbird egg? What happens to the host bird's own chicks? And why did cowbirds evolve this remarkable strategy in the first place?We also explore why Brown-headed Cowbirds are sometimes viewed negatively by birders, how their natural history helped shape their unusual parenting strategy, and why looking at the behavior through the lens of evolution tells a much more interesting story.Whether you've discovered a strange egg in a backyard nest, seen a tiny songbird feeding an enormous cowbird chick, or simply want to understand one of the most fascinating reproductive strategies in nature, this episode is for you.Birds of a Feather Talk Together combines the expertise of Field Museum ornithologists John Bates and Shannon Hackett with the curiosity of birders RJ and Amanda Pole to explore bird behavior, evolution, conservation, and the incredible science of birds.Here are links to our social and YouTube pages, give us a follow:YouTube InstagramTikTokBlueSky
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Why do Brown-headed Cowbirds lay their eggs in other birds' nests—and why don't they raise their own babies? In this episode of Birds of a Feather Talk Together, we're diving into one of the strangest reproductive strategies in the bird world: brood parasitism. Brown-headed Cowbirds don't build nests or raise their own young. Instead, female cowbirds lay their eggs in the nests of other bird species, leaving those birds to incubate the eggs, feed the chicks, and raise the young cowbirds—somet...
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112: Brown-Headed Cowbird Explained: The Bird That Lays Eggs in Other Birds’ Nests
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