The brown-headed cowbird (Molothrus ater) is a small passerine—perching bird—native to North America. Cowbirds belong to the family Icteridae which also includes New World blackbirds, New World orioles, the bobolink, meadowlarks, grackles, oropendolas, and caciques. Like other icterids the brown-headed cowbird is predominantly black, males have a black iridescent body and (as the name suggests) a brown head. Females are slightly smaller and have brown plumage. Instead of building nests, Molothrus ater display brood parasitism—laying their eggs in the nests of other perching birds with the hope that the host will raise their young to adulthood.

–Carly Davis