Cowbirds and other brood parasites

the long version

The Brown-headed Cowbird is known to use the nests of more than 200 other bird species, and cowbirds in general are believed to play a role in the decline of some migratory songbird populations. These brood parasites - birds that lay their eggs in the nests of others - have long flourished in North America. Because brood parasitism has evolved independently in various bird families, information on this adaptive strategy is of great ecological interest and considerable value to wildlife management. Cowbirds and Other Brood Parasites is an important reference on these cunning creatures that enhances our understanding of both their behavior and their part in the natural world.