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This morning in Tusket=2C Yar. Co.=2C I watched a Brown-headed Cowbird (pro=
bably female=2C it was quite distant) follow a Red-winged Blackbird (looked=
like a female as well) around for a few minutes. They were part of a large=
mixed flock of Common Grackles=2C Red-winged Blackbirds=2C European Starli=
ngs in a tall deciduous tree. Each time the blackbird would move to a diffe=
rent branch=2C the cowbird would follow and walk along that new branch unti=
l the two birds were almost touching. At this point=2C the blackbird would=
move again. This continued for a few minutes until my attention turned to =
a white Common Grackle (leucistic) that I had been trying to get a photo of=
for the past few days.=20
=20
After doing some research I concluded that it was likely one of three thing=
s. Female cowbirds keep an eye on females of other species so that they can=
lay their eggs in the other species' nest. That seems unlikely since it is=
early February. The more plausible reasons would be what is known as inter=
specific preening invitation or possibly that the cowbird was raised by a (=
the) Red-winged Blackbird. Here is a description of interspecific preening =
invitations from Birds of North America Online:
=20
Bird approaches another and assumes motionless posture with head bowed down=
=2C and feathers of nape and crown raised. Recipients=2C including other sp=
ecies=2C may preen displaying bird=2C although cowbirds seldom respond in t=
his way.
---
=20
Alix Arthur d'Entremont
BSc Geomatics Engineering
292 Abbott's Harbour Road
Middle West PubnicoYarmouth Co.=2C Nova ScotiaCanada B0W 2M0
Phone: +1 902 762 2082Mobile: +1 902 307 0373
=0A=
e-mail: alixdentremont@hotmail.com
=0A=
Bird Photography http://www.flickr.com/photos/alixd/Website http://alixdent=
remont.blogspot.ca/ =
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<body class=3D'hmmessage'><div dir=3D'ltr'>This morning in Tusket=2C Yar. C=
o.=2C I watched a Brown-headed Cowbird (probably female=2C it was quite dis=
tant) follow a Red-winged Blackbird (looked like a female as well) around&n=
bsp=3Bfor a few minutes. They =3Bwere part of =3Ba large =3Bmix=
ed flock of Common Grackles=2C Red-winged Blackbirds=2C =3BEuropean Sta=
rlings in a tall deciduous tree. =3BEach time the blackbird would move =
to a different branch=2C the cowbird would follow and walk along that =
=3Bnew branch until the two birds were almost touching.  =3BAt this poi=
nt=2C the blackbird would move again. This continued for a few minutes unti=
l my attention turned to a white Common Grackle (leucistic) that I had been=
trying to get a photo of for the past few days. <BR> =3B<BR>After doin=
g some research I concluded that it was likely =3Bone of three things. =
Female cowbirds keep an eye on females of other species so that they can la=
y their eggs in the other species' nest. That seems unlikely since it is ea=
rly February. The more plausible reasons would be what is known as interspe=
cific preening invitation or possibly that the cowbird was raised by a (the=
) Red-winged Blackbird. Here is a description of interspecific preening inv=
itations from Birds of North America Online:<BR> =3B<BR><em>Bird approa=
ches another and assumes motionless posture with head bowed down=2C and fea=
thers of nape and crown raised. Recipients=2C including other species=2C ma=
y preen displaying bird=2C although cowbirds seldom respond in this way.</e=
m><br><br><strong><font size=3D"3" style=3D"font-size: 12pt=3B">---</font><=
/strong><br><strong><font size=3D"3" style=3D"font-size: 12pt=3B"></font></=
strong> =3B<br><strong><font size=3D"3" style=3D"font-size: 12pt=3B">Al=
ix Arthur d'Entremont</font></strong><br><font size=3D"1"><em>BSc Geomatics=
Engineering</em></font><br><br><font size=3D"1">292 Abbott's Harbour Road<=
/font><BR><div><font size=3D"1">Middle West Pubnico</font></div><div><font =
size=3D"1">Yarmouth Co.=2C Nova Scotia</font></div><div><font size=3D"1">Ca=
nada B0W 2M0</font></div><div><font size=3D"1"><br></font><div><font size=
=3D"1">Phone: +1 902 762 2082</font></div><div><font size=3D"1">Mobile: +1 =
902 307 0373<br></font>=0A=
<font size=3D"1">e-mail: <a href=3D"mailto:alixdentremont@hotmail.com">alix=
dentremont@hotmail.com</a><br>=0A=
Bird Photography =3B<a href=3D"http://www.flickr.com/photos/alixd/" tar=
get=3D"_blank">http://www.flickr.com/photos/alixd/</a></font></div></div><d=
iv><font size=3D"1">Website =3B<a href=3D"http://alixdentremont.blogspo=
t.ca/" target=3D"_blank">http://alixdentremont.blogspot.ca/</a></font></div=
> =3B </div></body>
</html>=
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