Brown-headed Cowbird in May
Where cowbirds are in May, whether they are nesting, and the best foods to offer right now.
May in the Brown-headed Cowbird's year
May is the peak of the birding year. Migration floods the North, dawn chorus is at its loudest, and nesting is underway across most of the continent. By month's end the first broods of the year are hatching in mid-latitudes.
For the Brown-headed Cowbird specifically, May is a spring month inside the nesting season — one of the most active and demanding periods of this bird's year. Across the 58 states and provinces where cowbirds occur, what the bird is doing this month depends heavily on latitude — the details below break it down by band.
Where cowbirds are in May
- Southern states
- absent
- Mid-latitudes
- year-round resident
- Northern states & Canada
- absent
In May, cowbirds are absent in the South, year-round resident across the mid-latitudes, and absent in the northern states and Canada. That north–south split is the defining feature of this month: where you live changes which version of this bird you're looking at.
Nesting in May
May is inside the Brown-headed Cowbird nesting season. Nest: builds no nest — lays eggs in the nests of other species. Clutch up to 36 eggs per season, one per host nest, incubation 10–12 days, —.
The season is broadly synchronized across the range this month. During the nesting months, adults switch to protein-rich foods for their young, become more secretive around the nest site, and often visit feeders in quick, purposeful trips rather than lingering.
What to feed in May
- Grasshoppers, beetles and grass seeds
A brood parasite — it lays eggs in other birds' nests. Feeding less millet and avoiding platform scatter reduces cowbird crowds.
Adults feeding nestlings need easy calories. Some species that ignored feeders all winter now visit regularly, and you may see fledglings brought to feeders by their parents.
Full Brown-headed Cowbird diet guide → · Best feeder for cowbirds →
Watching cowbirds this month
In May, the best watching is around food rather than the nest — adults make repeated foraging trips and are most visible at dawn and dusk. Give nesting birds space: if a bird is carrying food or scolding you persistently, you're close to a nest and should back off.
The state guides below show exactly where in your region cowbirds are expected this month and which native plants hold them in a yard.
Brown-headed Cowbird month by month
Brown-headed Cowbird by state
Frequently asked
Where are cowbirds in May?
In May, cowbirds are absent in the South, year-round resident across mid-latitudes and absent in the North.
Do cowbirds nest in May?
Yes — May falls inside the Brown-headed Cowbird nesting season at mid-latitudes.
What do cowbirds eat in May?
Grasshoppers, beetles and grass seeds.
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.