Jan. 18<)0.J 



AND OOLOGI8T. 



A Very Peculiar Bird. 



A very straiiye bird, one wliose peculiarity 

 in never biiildiu'^ a nest of its own is known to 

 all oolojjists, is the Oowbird, or as otherwise 

 known to many, the Cow Buntinjj, Cowpen 

 bird and Cow Blackbird, and scientifically as 

 Mi)lntln-itx (iter {\iin\i\.) Vjv.vy . Although a fa" 

 miliar bird to almost all of those who study 

 the avian fauna of North America, and classed 

 as a common sjiecies in nearly all portions of 

 the United States, it is, nevertheless, but little 

 understood by students of bird life, and those 

 devoted to the elucidation of the enigmas 

 which arise so often to startle and perplex us. 

 Thinking a few remarks on this familiar spe- 

 cies would not come amiss, the wiiter offers 

 the present article, tiusting at least to cause 

 some to investigate anil give extra information 

 on the peculiarities of the breeding habits of 

 this interesting and apparently unnatural bird. 



Several ye.ars ago my attention was drawn to 

 the fact that the number of eggs laid l)y the 

 Cow Bunting was not given in any work that I 

 had met with, and further, that many habits 

 ])eculiar to the species were not understood, or 

 at least but partially compiehended. The fol- 

 lowing queries ultimately suggested themselves 

 after considerable thought, namely: 1. What 

 is the number of eggs laid by the Cowbird in a 

 clutch? 2. Does the ('owl)ird use judgment 

 in depositing eggs as to number, in accordance 

 to size of nest invaded or the number of eggs 

 to be laid by the rightful owner? ;). Does the 

 Cowbird usually select nests that already ccm- 

 tain egg or eggs of the owner, and when empty 

 nests are selected is it done because the Cow- 

 bird is pressed for time and cannot find another 

 nest? 4. Is the Cowbird polygamous? 5. Ts 

 the Cowbird as secret about invading the nest 

 of another bird as generally supposed? (i. Does 

 the Cowbird ever assume the duties of a par- 

 ent by incubating its hopes of future posterity, 

 or, later, supply its own otTspring with food? 

 7. What is the i)iriod of incubation, if we can 

 so express it, when represented by the devotion 

 of the rightful owner of the nest to the alien 

 eggs? Lastly will the imposed on owner of 

 the nest hatch seveial alien eggs when there 

 are none of her own in the nest? 



In Michigan where the writer's observations 

 have been mainly made during the last twenty 

 years, the Cowbird has api)eared on an average 

 March 29th, the earliest ariival being March 

 Ifith, and the latest April i)th. About May 

 10th the birds are piepared to drop eggs into 

 almost any inviting nest. Previous to that 



date fully constructed nests of the right 

 species are rather scarce. 



From May ir)tli, when the smaller species are 

 prepared f(u- household duties, to July 1st, the 

 Cow Bunting is ever on the qui vive to surprise 

 owners of homes with the unwelcome dona- 

 tions. At the time of arrival only males are 

 seen, and it is fair to say that the females 

 arrive about four days later. On pleasant, 

 sunshiny days both sexes may be seen sitting 

 in lazy contentment along fences or in the 

 trees, the males endeavoring to effect their 

 unmusical splreele, uttered in a drawling 

 manner. At this time the feathers are ruffled 

 up about the neck, the bird appearing much 

 like the Red-wing Blackbird in his actiims. 

 There is also a call note, uttered by both sexes 

 sounding like squeak. The species is emi- 

 nently gregarious from the time it arrives 

 until it departs, the two sexes apiiearing to be 

 about equal in numbers excepting during the 

 active season of laying when the females are 

 undoubtedly occupied hunting around for 

 asylums wherein to deposit their eggs. At 

 this time the males predominate in numbers 

 and may be easily identified, as their glossy 

 coats form a marked contrast to the dull 

 brown of their companion's apparel. In late 

 May and June the males appear to outrank the 

 females in about the projiortion of three to 

 two. Later in the season when the young are 

 associated with the adults and after moulting 

 is over the sombre coats prevail. 



The Cowbirds are gregarious during the 

 entire season, but are more inclined to con- 

 giegate during spring and after moulting, 

 often associating with large fioeks of the Busty 

 Crackles, and occasionally with the common 

 Crow, Blackbirds and Redwings during au- 

 tumn. They usually fly in flocks of five to 

 eight during breeding season, but may be 

 found in fioeks of twenty to fifty later in tha 

 season. 



As to the number of eggs laid by this .species 

 I am at a loss to state with certainty, but will 

 give a few observations that approach accuracy. 

 One day I secured a female alive, and as she 

 was only injured slightly in the wing I deter- 

 mined to save her in order to examine her 

 habits. The date of capture was May 27th, 

 and as she fed greedily <m the mixed insect 

 and other foods that were offered the follow- 

 ing day, there was but little doubt but the 

 cai)tive would survive. On May 29th an egg 

 with the characteristic form and markings 

 was laid in the cage, quite forty hours after 

 she became a prisoner. From this I was sat- 



