Susquehanna Meditations: Brown Headed Catbird

Brown-headed Cowbird

The debate remains unresolved whether or not bison roamed our Susquehanna region. 

Some folks remain certain that they once did.  After all, we do boast of a Buffalo Creek, Buffalo Valley, Buffalo Township, East Buffalo Township, West Buffalo Township too.  Bucknell University boasts of its Bison.  And just to clear the air, it was the European settlers who called the American Bison a buffalo, even though buffalos are only to be found in Asia and Africa. 

To be fair,  , there are anecdotal accounts of bison with their wooly head, stubby horns, shaggy coat, and hefty shoulders sighted in and around Lewisburg, even of bison hunted by both Native Americans and the earliest of pioneers.  We reference our magpie-minded Van Wagner’s article on this subject:

http://www.vanwagnermusic.com/vanwagnermusic/buffalo.htm

For certain, we can attest to bison grazing in the eastern regions of the Midwest plains.  Visit a bourbon distillery or two and you will learn of the famous Buffalo Trace that extended from Kentucky into Indiana, of the salt-licks and grasslands teeming with bison herds on the move.  Who’s to argue that a few curious bison slipped through the back door of our region to enjoy the grasses along the west branch of the Susquehanna?   They might have roamed that far, albeit stopped from traveling farther east by the wester branch of our river. 

Whether or not the bison roamed our region, one fact is certain:  we still ended up pestered, vexed, and bothered by the Brown-head Cowbird, companion to the beasts, perhaps mistaking pioneer milk cows for buffalo on the roam.   The bird is indeed brown headed, a rich and full chocolate color, with the rest of his body a lacquered black, silken even. 

Legend records how the Brown-head Cowbird traveled the trace with the roaming herds.   Dining on seeds in the dung.  Pecking insects from bison hide or grasshoppers stirred up in the grasses by bison hooves.  Brown-headed Cowbird flapping down to swallow loose seeds of grain. 

Brood parasite this bird.  Neither the male nor female Brown-headed Cowbird cares about setting up housekeeping and building up a nest.  No mortgages for them.  They’re just in it for the breeding, for the good time.  Promiscuous indeed, no lasting pair-bond for them, no lasting commitment.  Truth be told:  they be the deadbeat dad and deadbeat mom.  Not even a grandma’s house to drop the kids off to be raised.   Oh no.  Brown-headed Cowbirds called the trace their place and travel their home.  No nests for them.  Never.  Well, not their own nest. 

So what to do with the eggs they lay?  And fertile wanton opportunistic momma Cowbird lays more eggs than do most other species of bird.  When time comes, she lays her eggs in the nests of other birds then flies off leaving the host birds to incubate her eggs.   Nary a kiss goodbye.  Not only is momma Cowbird prolific in her egg production, her eggs hatch quicker than any of those host birds.  Surprise!   Baby Cowbird hatches out early, this fledgling an early bloomer, forcing host foster parent birds to go out and get food.  Bring me food!  Baby Cowbird matures quicker than most.  Baby Cowbird demands all the attention, all the food, and, bigger than hbis nest mates, will push out of nest the newer and weaker hatchlings.   Cowbird is taking over.

Winning, for our Cowbird, is everything.  Winning is the only thing.   If you’re not a winner, you’re a loser.  Right, team?

Cowbird seems to be winning at the expense of other birds in our valley. 

The Brown-headed Cowbird.  The bully of birds.