Thanks everyone who replied to me. The female cowbirds I've seen before
have had a light-colored throat, which this one lacked, which is what had
me wondering. Also, the NatGeo field guide shows them as noticeably
streaked on the breast (and with the light throat). But today I had a very
streaky one that looked just like the juvenile image, so I guess
yesterday's bird was a female as so many of you had suggested, just plainer
than most.
Pat
Pat Valdata
Elkton, MD
On Wed, Mar 6, 2013 at 5:44 PM, Frode Jacobsen <frodesjacobsen...>wrote:
> Pat, as far as I know adult female cowbirds retain a uniform tan brown
> plumage, unlike males that attain the glossy black plumage except the
> chocolate brown hood.
>
> Best,
> Frode Jacobsen
> Windsor Mill, MD
>
> On Wednesday, March 6, 2013 4:40:39 PM UTC-5, Pat Valdata, Elkton wrote:
> > I had a plump, light brown bird at my feeder that looked like a juvenile
> Brown-headed Cowbird, except that it didn't have any streaking. The eyes
> were dark, the bill light-colored and stubby. Except for being noticeably
> larger than the sparrows and juncos it was feeding with, this bird was as
> nondescript as could be.
> >
> >
> > How old are cowbirds before they acquire adult plumage?
> >
> > Pat Valdata
> >
> >
> > Elkton, MD
>
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