Brown-headed Cowbird

Brown-headed Cowbirds are small blackbirds often seen foraging in flocks with other species. Males have glossy black bodies with distinctive brown heads. They frequently feed on the ground where they eat seeds and grains dropped from feeders.

Brown-headed Cowbirds are ground-feeding seed eaters that favour white millet, cracked corn, and budget mixed seeds. They're brood parasites — laying their eggs in other birds' nests instead of building their own — which makes them controversial among birders. They're common in mixed sparrow and blackbird flocks at ground feeders, especially in agricultural areas.

Ground trays and platform feeders are where you'll see cowbirds most often. They mix with sparrows and other ground feeders, picking through scattered seed for millet and corn. There's no specific strategy for attracting or deterring them — they're simply part of the mixed flock at ground-level stations. They rarely visit hanging feeders or suet cages.

Cowbirds are brood parasites that don't build nests — they lay their eggs in other species' nests. Creating cowbird-specific habitat isn't recommended, as higher cowbird populations increase nest parasitism pressure on native songbirds. They're naturally attracted to open, grazed, or agricultural land. If cowbirds are frequent at your feeders and you're concerned about their impact on nesting songbirds, reducing ground-level seed offerings during the May–July breeding season can help limit their presence when it matters most.