Bronzed Cowbird

Molothrus aeneus

Explore this bird

Identification

Field notes

22 cm (9") Common but local. Southwestern United States. Open country, croplands, brush, wooded canyons.

Male: black overall with a bronze gloss(no brown head); blue-black wings and tail. Breeding birds have a ruff on back and nape giving them a hunch-back look. Told from similar male Brown-headed Cowbird by longer bill and red eye.

Female: uniformly dark brownish or gray. Told from similar female Brown-headed Cowbird by longer bill and red eye.

Song: like Brown-headed's gurgling, mechanical creaking, guttural "chuck" call.

Details in the field

Photo gallery

4 photos

Male - Spencer Park, Carrizozo, Lincoln Co., NM, AKA Red-eyed Cowbird.

Credit: Jerry Oldenettel

Credit: Menemorice

Laguna Atascosa National Wildlife Refuge, Texas - June 2011

Credit: Vince Smith

Credit: Jason Forbes

Watch and learn

Videos

2 videos

Bronzed Cowbird, Chamón Caribeño (Molothrus aeneus) - COURTSHIP

Credit: Akator Expeditions - David Caro

The Bronzed Cowbird and the Northern Cardinal

Credit: ItsGodsWorldAfterAll - Sharing Life's Memories

Where it lives

Distribution maps

Source legend · original intervals

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Unshaded in source · does not imply absence

Generic and winter maps may use different intervals.

Bird Advisor Identification rules 2 variants 2 rules

These are the observation paths the Bird Advisor can use to identify this species. Each rule is an alternative match.

Bronzed Cowbird (Male)

1 rule

Rule 1 14 criteria confidence 4

What was the sex of the bird ?: Male · Unknown
Did the WINGS have STRIPES or PATCHES ?: No · Unknown
What colour was the BACK ?: Black, purple, or dark · Unknown
What colour was the BELLY ?: Black, purple, or dark · Unknown
What colour PATTERN if any was shown on the BREAST ?: Uniform color · Unknown
What colour was the BREAST ?: Black, purple, or dark · Unknown
What colour was the THROAT ?: Black, purple, or dark · Unknown
What SHAPE was the BILL ?: Straight and thick · Conical and slender · Conical and thick · Unknown
What LENGTH was the BILL ?: Short · Medium · Unknown
What colour were the EYES ?: Red, orange or rusty · Brown or blackish brown · Black or dark gray · Unknown
What colour was the TOP of HEAD ?: Black, purple, or dark · Unknown
How BIG was the bird ?: Sparrow-sized · Robin-sized
What TYPE of bird was seen ?: Songbird (ground or perching bird)
WHERE was the bird seen ?: Southwestern United States

result:990-bronzed-cowbird-male:1:1 Source: 990 Bronzed Cowbird (Male), row 1

Bronzed Cowbird (Female)

1 rule

Rule 1 14 criteria confidence 4

What was the sex of the bird ?: Female · Unknown
Did the WINGS have STRIPES or PATCHES ?: No · Unknown
What colour was the BACK ?: Brown, or chestnut (reddish-brown) · Gray, or blue-gray · Unknown
What colour was the BELLY ?: Brown, or chestnut (reddish-brown) · Gray, or blue-gray · Unknown
What colour PATTERN if any was shown on the BREAST ?: Uniform color · Unknown
What colour was the BREAST ?: Brown, or chestnut (reddish-brown) · Gray, or blue-gray · Unknown
What colour was the THROAT ?: Brown, or chestnut (reddish-brown) · Gray, or blue-gray · Unknown
What SHAPE was the BILL ?: Straight and thick · Conical and slender · Conical and thick · Unknown
What LENGTH was the BILL ?: Short · Medium · Unknown
What colour were the EYES ?: Red, orange or rusty · Brown or blackish brown · Black or dark gray · Unknown
What colour was the TOP of HEAD ?: Brown, or chestnut (reddish-brown) · Gray, or blue-gray · Unknown
How BIG was the bird ?: Sparrow-sized · Robin-sized
What TYPE of bird was seen ?: Songbird (ground or perching bird)
WHERE was the bird seen ?: Southwestern United States

result:991-bronzed-cowbird-female:1:1 Source: 991 Bronzed Cowbird (Female), row 1