Diet
What do cowbirds eat?
Seeds and insects taken on the ground.
Blackbirds (Icteridae)Brown-headed CowbirdMolothrus ater
Spring and summer diet
- Grasshoppers, beetles and grass seeds
Fall and winter diet
- Grain and feeder seed
Best feeder foods
- Millet
- Cracked corn
- Mixed seed
A brood parasite — it lays eggs in other birds' nests. Feeding less millet and avoiding platform scatter reduces cowbird crowds.
Where cowbirds need winter food
Regions where cowbirds are present in the cold months:
AlabamaAlbertaArizonaArkansasBritish ColumbiaCaliforniaColoradoConnecticutDelawareFloridaGeorgiaIdahoIllinoisIndianaIowaKansasKentuckyLouisianaMaineManitobaMarylandMassachusettsMichiganMinnesotaMississippiMissouriMontanaNebraskaNevadaNew BrunswickNew HampshireNew JerseyNew MexicoNew YorkNorth CarolinaNorth DakotaNova ScotiaOhioOklahomaOntarioOregonPennsylvaniaQuebecRhode IslandSaskatchewanSouth CarolinaSouth DakotaTennesseeTexasUtahVermontVirginiaWashingtonWest VirginiaWisconsinWyoming
Frequently asked
What do cowbirds eat?
Seeds and insects taken on the ground.
What is the best food to feed cowbirds?
Millet, Cracked corn, Mixed seed.
What do cowbirds eat in winter?
Grain and feeder seed.
Sources
- Brown-headed Cowbird — All About Birds, Cornell Lab of Ornithology
- Brown-headed Cowbird life history — Cornell Lab of Ornithology
- Brown-headed Cowbird — Audubon Guide to North American Birds
Timing reflects typical patterns for the region as a whole; local dates vary with elevation and year. Check the linked eBird bar charts for your county.