Rusty Blackbird vs Brown-Headed Cowbird

Rusty Blackbird

Euphagus carolinus

How to recognise a rusty blackbird?

General appearance

Rusty Blackbirds are medium-sized blackbirds with striking seasonal changes in plumage. In winter, they exhibit a distinctive rusty-edged appearance with rusty or rufous edges to their dark feathers, and pale yellow eyes. In summer, their feathers become mostly black or dark brown, losing the rusty edges. They have slender, slightly curved bills and relatively long tails, which are typical traits of blackbirds.

Male vs female

Males in breeding plumage are glossy black with greenish or bluish iridescence, whereas females are more subdued with dark gray or brownish plumage. During the non-breeding season, both sexes look similar with rust-colored feather edges; however, males often display richer, darker hues than females, who maintain a slightly browner overall appearance.

Juvenile

Juvenile Rusty Blackbirds have a more uniformly brown coloration compared to adults, lacking the glossy adult sheen. They are primarily a dull brown with streaked underparts and dark eyes, distinguishing them from adults whose eyes are pale yellow. As they mature, juveniles gradually acquire the adult plumage patterns and eye color.

Size

8.3 - 9.8 in/1.6 - 2.8 oz

Habitat

Primary habitat

The rusty blackbird primarily prefers wet northern coniferous forests with many lakes and bogs, and muskeg regions, particularly during breeding season.

Additional range

In migration and winter, it frequents areas with trees near water, such as wooded swamps and river groves. Unexpectedly, it can also be found foraging in open fields and cattle feedlots alongside other blackbirds.

Range Map

What do rusty blackbirds like to eat?

Natural diet

The rusty blackbird primarily consumes insects and seeds. Its diet mainly includes insects like aquatic caddisflies, mayflies, dragonflies, and water beetles, as well as land insects such as grasshoppers. Additionally, it eats snails, crustaceans, small fish, and small salamanders. It also feeds on seeds and waste grain, particularly in winter months, and occasionally berries.

Bird feeders

Rusty blackbirds are not frequent visitors to bird feeders. When they do visit, they may eat seeds and grains found in common bird food mixes.

What does a rusty blackbird sound like?

The Rusty Blackbird produces distinctive vocalizations similar to the squeaks of a rusty gate. Its sharp call note, referred to as a "check", varies in pattern: sometimes falling, sometimes rising. The vocal types of this bird are diverse, encompassing a variety of sounds such as buzzes, chatters, chirps or chips, trills, and whistles. This range makes its calls and songs unique and easily recognizable.

Call

Audio by Richard E. Webster

/ CC BY-NC-SA 4.0

Song

Audio by Richard E. Webster

/ CC BY-NC-SA 4.0

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Brown-Headed Cowbird

Molothrus ater

How to recognise a brown-headed cowbird?

General appearance

The brown-headed cowbird is a medium-sized bird, approximately the size of a robin or sparrow, measuring between 6-8 inches or 15-20 cm. Its wing shape is broad and the tail is either rounded or square-tipped. The bird's coloration includes hues of black, brown, green, and tan.

Male vs female

In terms of gender differences, male brown-headed cowbirds are glossy black and sport a contrasting brown head. On the other hand, females have a different appearance, with a plain dusty brown color and a darker sparrowlike bill.

Juvenile

Juvenile brown-headed cowbirds have a unique appearance that changes as they mature. Initially, they are streaked and tend to resemble female adults but their coloration grows darker as they age. Further observation is needed to note if this pattern is consistent across all seasons.

Size

6.3 - 7.9 in/1.1 - 1.8 oz

Habitat

Primary habitat

The brown-headed cowbird favors open or semi-open countrysides like farms, fields, prairies, and wood edges, concentrating in farmlands or pastures during winter for easy foraging.

Additional range

In the breeding season, it is more widespread, occupying grasslands, brushy regions, forest edges, and even deserts, yet it avoids dense unbroken forests.

Range Map

What do brown-headed cowbirds like to eat?

Natural diet

The brown-headed cowbird's diet primarily consists of seeds and insects. During summer, their diet is about half seeds and for more than 90% in winter. The seeds include those from grasses, weeds, and waste grain. The remainder of their diet is largely insects, particularly grasshoppers, beetles, and caterpillars, along with spiders and millipedes.

Bird feeders

At bird feeders, brown-headed cowbirds typically consume seeds. They may eat a variety of birdseed mixes, such as sunflower seeds, millet, and cracked corn, which are commonly available in feeders.

What does a brown-headed cowbird sound like?

The brown-headed cowbird's vocalizations are highly varied, encompassing sounds described as a squeaky gurgle, a check or rattle-like call, and a chatter, chirp, or whistle. These vocal expressions can follow a falling, flat, or rising pattern. The cowbird's call types can range from a simple "hi", to a more complex trill, all contributing to its unique bird song.

Call

Audio by Jonathon Jongsma

/ CC BY-SA 3.0

Call

Audio by Dkazdan

/ CC BY-SA 3.0

Song

Audio by Jonathon Jongsma

/ CC BY-SA 4.0

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Rusty Blackbird

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Brown-Headed Cowbird

Rusty Blackbird

Euphagus carolinus

General appearance

Rusty Blackbirds are medium-sized blackbirds with striking seasonal changes in plumage. In winter, they exhibit a distinctive rusty-edged appearance with rusty or rufous edges to their dark feathers, and pale yellow eyes. In summer, their feathers become mostly black or dark brown, losing the rusty edges. They have slender, slightly curved bills and relatively long tails, which are typical traits of blackbirds.

Male vs female

Males in breeding plumage are glossy black with greenish or bluish iridescence, whereas females are more subdued with dark gray or brownish plumage. During the non-breeding season, both sexes look similar with rust-colored feather edges; however, males often display richer, darker hues than females, who maintain a slightly browner overall appearance.

Juvenile

Juvenile Rusty Blackbirds have a more uniformly brown coloration compared to adults, lacking the glossy adult sheen. They are primarily a dull brown with streaked underparts and dark eyes, distinguishing them from adults whose eyes are pale yellow. As they mature, juveniles gradually acquire the adult plumage patterns and eye color.

Size

8.3 - 9.8 in/1.6 - 2.8 oz

There's more to learn about Rusty Blackbird

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Brown-Headed Cowbird

Molothrus ater

General appearance

The brown-headed cowbird is a medium-sized bird, approximately the size of a robin or sparrow, measuring between 6-8 inches or 15-20 cm. Its wing shape is broad and the tail is either rounded or square-tipped. The bird's coloration includes hues of black, brown, green, and tan.

Male vs female

In terms of gender differences, male brown-headed cowbirds are glossy black and sport a contrasting brown head. On the other hand, females have a different appearance, with a plain dusty brown color and a darker sparrowlike bill.

Juvenile

Juvenile brown-headed cowbirds have a unique appearance that changes as they mature. Initially, they are streaked and tend to resemble female adults but their coloration grows darker as they age. Further observation is needed to note if this pattern is consistent across all seasons.

Size

6.3 - 7.9 in/1.1 - 1.8 oz

There's more to learn about Brown-Headed Cowbird

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How to tell the Rusty Blackbird from the Brown-Headed Cowbird

Visual differences

The Rusty Blackbird (Euphagus carolinus) is larger at 8.3-9.8 inches than the Brown-Headed Cowbird (Molothrus ater) at 6-8 inches. Rusty Blackbirds exhibit seasonal plumage, showing rusty-edged dark feathers in winter and glossy black/iridescent blue-green in males during summer, with a slender, slightly curved bill and pale yellow eyes. Brown-Headed Cowbird males have a glossy black body with a distinct brown head, while females are uniformly dusty brown. Cowbirds have a broader, straight bill and either rounded or square-tipped tails. Rusty Blackbirds have relatively longer tails than Cowbirds.

Key differences and behavior

In behavior, Rusty Blackbirds and Brown-Headed Cowbirds differ significantly. Rusty Blackbirds, at 8.3-9.8 inches, forage in wet, wooded habitats, eating primarily insects and occasionally small vertebrates. They nest in isolated pairs or loose colonies and both parents likely feed the young. In contrast, the 6-8 inch Brown-Headed Cowbirds are brood parasites, laying eggs in other birds' nests, relying on hosts for chick-rearing. They adapt well to open fields and pastures, foraging insects flushed by livestock in summer and relying heavily on seeds in winter. Rusty Blackbirds prefer dense northern habitats, while Cowbirds occupy open spaces and avoid dense forests. Both engage in flocking, but Cowbirds often exploit high human activity areas for foraging.

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