tags: Brown-headed Cowbird, Molothrus ater, birds, mystery bird, bird ID quiz
[Mystery bird] Brown-headed Cowbird, Molothrus ater, photographed in Falcon State Park, Texas. [I will identify this bird for you tomorrow]
Image: Joseph Kennedy, 5 April 2008 [larger view].
Nikon D200, Kowa 883 telescope TSN-PZ camera eyepiece 1/1000s f/8.0 at 1000.0mm iso400.
Please name at least one field mark that supports your identification.
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Brown-headed cowbird?
The beak looks a little small, but I suspect that's just foreshortening from the angle of the shot. Beyond the obvious brown head and black body, I'd point to the dark eye and leg color.
I'd call that a Brown-headed Cowbird as well (an adult male). I used to pooh-pooh them as common trash birds on the CONE Welder birdcam, but lately the camera was down for several weeks, and since it has been brought back to life the feeder-restocking schedule has been pretty spotty, with the result that cowbirds have been few and far between. Now I miss them! :-)
Same here...Cowbird. Certainly see enough of them in the fields around here. :)