Yellow-throated warbler (Dendroica dominica) YTWA Feeding Brown-headed Cowbird (Molothrus ater) BHCO Chicks

I found this behavior quite disturbing as I watched this small warbler feeding its demanding, oversized young. They are chicks of brood parasitic cowbirds. The females forego nests to put all their energy into producing eggs.....more than 3 dozen per nesting season. They lay their eggs in the nests of other birds, often at the expense of the foster parents own young. Many consider them a nuisance bird, as they have been implicated in the decline of species like Kirtland Warblers and Black-capped Vireos. I watched this activity over the course of several days.....but never saw the parents fly to a nest to feed its own babies. I assume these 2 pretenders were too big for the nest as they stayed in a spot under a bush where the small parents kept trying to keep them fed. The babies would pounce on the warblers, knocking them back as they fought over the food brought. I know it's not the fault of the young Cowbirds they are in this situation....I wish there was an answer.

Member of Nature’s Spirit
Good Stewards of Nature

Taken on: May 7, 2016

Groups appears in: • NATURE'S SPIRIT (by invitation) (post 1/award 1)

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