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Male Brown Headed Cowbird

Molothrus ater

Photo by judy
Published on Project Noah
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39.4019, -76.6024

Field Notes

Description:

Black birds have invaded my backyard!! Now I know they are Grackles and Cow Birds, not Crows.

Habitat:

Backyard.

Notes:

OMG! This bird was on Jeopardy last night!!

Species ID Suggestions

Common Grackle

Quiscalus quiscula

Comments (6)

Jellis, I saw that after I posted! ;-) Judy, you're welcome!
Thank you Jellis & Forest Dragon for your help!!
Thank you ForestDragon, I was already making the corrections I made while you were posting.
The first picture is a different bird. It looks like a Brown-headed Cowbird. Check the sizes of the bills. You can see the difference.
Actually, you have two different species here. Your first image is a male Brown-headed Cowbird, Molothrus ater . http://www.allaboutbirds.org/guide/brown-headed_cowbird/id The second photo is most likely an adult Common Grackle, Quiscalus quiscula . I think it is that, rather than a Boat-tailed since the latter prefers coastal saltmarshes. http://www.allaboutbirds.org/guide/Common_Grackle/id Since these are two different birds, you should split these two photos and make them separate spottings so they can be identified properly. These are beautiful photos!
Sorry American Crows don't have yellow eyes and a lot larger.
Photographed
PublishedApril 23, 2013

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