Bronzed Cowbird
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Bronzed Cowbirds are scarce in southeast Arizona in the dead of winter, but there are always a few here and there at such favored sites as the Benson sewage ponds or the University of Arizona farms here in Tucson. The icterid flock at Lakeside Park had at least three individuals on Saturday, huddled in the trees or patrolling the chilly lawns with the abundant Brewer’s and Red-winged Blackbirds, Great-tailed Grackles, and Brown-headed Cowbirds.
- As usual, just click for a larger version of the image.
All of the Lakeside birds were brown, but as Darlene pointed out, the extravagant ruffs–especially well visible in the original quiz image–suggested that they were first-winter males rather than females. My library is divided right now between Vancouver and Tucson, so I haven’t been able to check into the plumage sequences of this species; it’ll be nice to reunite the books someday!
