I came home from work......

[rallysman]

Damn! Chuck Norris strikes yet again...

 

[carolinafishkeeper]

so you finally found out who was responsible for those strange fish dissapearances

 

[rallysman]

so you finally found out who was responsible for those strange fish dissapearances

Actually, I was more worried about my fish trying to eat the bird to be honest.

 

[sandtiger]

shame that's an invasive speices, i really dislike invasive birds, but i'd rather have these near me than cowbirds.

Cowbirds aren't invasive. I choose the cowbirds. I like starlings, I'll admit it. But like all invasives I dont want them here.

 

[---XR---]

Cowbirds aren't invasive. I choose the cowbirds. I like starlings, I'll admit it. But like all invasives I dont want them here.

well technically they sort of are, cowbirds look for nests of other small birds, and when they find one, they lay one egg while the parent bird is away, the parents raise the young cowbird which later on, kills the other off spring, takes all the food for itself and leaves. so they are, but they aren't.

 

[rallysman]

Hey, lets focus more on what crapped on my dishes and less on whatever you're talking about

It IS invasive when it's in my house.

 

[topoftheline77]

Actually, I was more worried about my fish trying to eat the bird to be honest.

You know your a monster fish keeper when....

 

[Nate77]

Dang you take some amazing photos.

 

[cichlaguapote]

Dang you take some amazing photos.

Chuck is damn good with a camera..

 

[sandtiger]

well technically they sort of are, cowbirds look for nests of other small birds, and when they find one, they lay one egg while the parent bird is away, the parents raise the young cowbird which later on, kills the other off spring, takes all the food for itself and leaves. so they are, but they aren't.

Yeah but they occur here naturally and that's what I'm refering to when I say they aren't invasive. They are parasites yes but have been a natural part of the North American ecology for thousands of years and our bird species haven't been largerly impacted by there being here.
I have actaully observed twice in two different nests cowbirds lay their eggs in the nest of pheobes. Oddly enough, in both cases the cowbrid chicks DID NOT remove the pheobes eggs or young. They hatched sooner and were much larger but all the chicks survived.