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Giant Cowbird


Giant Cowbird
Photo Information
Copyright: Peter van Zoest (PeterZ) Gold Star Critiquer/Gold Star Workshop Editor/Gold Note Writer [C: 1215 W: 68 N: 2524] (8319)
Genre: Animals
Medium: Color
Date Taken: 2007-08-05
Categories: Birds
Camera: Nikon D70, AF Nikkor 70-300mm f4-5.6 G, Digital RAW
Exposure: f/5.6, 1/125 seconds
More Photo Info: [view]
Photo Version: Original Version
Date Submitted: 2007-12-14 11:19
Viewed: 720
Points: 20
[Note Guidelines] Photographer's Note
In the series 'birds who lived near the ground' here the Giant Cowbird. Many birds in Brazil are very colourful, but there are exceptions...

The Giant Cowbird, Molothrus oryzivorus, is a large passerine bird in the New World family Icteridae, the orioles, grackles, cowbirds, etc. It breeds from southern Mexico south to northern Argentina, and on Trinidad and Tobago. It may have relatively recently colonised the latter island.

It is associated with open woodland and cultivation with large trees, but is also the only cowbird that is found in deep forest. It is a quiet bird, particularly for an icterid, but the male has an unpleasant screeched whistle, shweeaa-tpic-tpic. The call is a sharp chek-chik. They are also very adept mimics.

Like other cowbirds, it is a brood parasite, laying its eggs in the nests of oropendolas and caciques. The eggs are of two types, either whitish and unspotted, or pale blue or green with dark spots and blotches.

The host’s eggs and chicks are not destroyed, but there is considerable doubt about the theory that the young Giant Cowbirds benefit the host’s chick by removing and eating parasitic flies.

Their icterid hosts breed colonially, and defend their nests vigorously, so even a large, bold and aggressive species like the Giant Cowbird has to cover an extensive territory to find sufficient egg-laying opportunities. Several Giant Cowbird eggs may be laid in one host nest.

The male Giant Cowbird is 36 cm long, weighs 180 g and is iridescent black, with a long tail, long bill, small head, and a neck ruff which is expanded in display. The female is 28 cm long and weighs 135 g. She is less iridescent than the male, and the absence of the neck ruff makes her look less small-headed.
Juvenile males are similar to the adult male, but browner, and with a pale, not black, bill.

This gregarious bird feeds mainly on insects and some seeds, including rice, and forages on the ground or in trees. It rarely perches on cattle, unlike some of its relatives, but in Brazil it will ride on Capybaras as it removes horse flies. (Wikipedia)
Luis52, undoredo, taba, Debz, nainnain, ppmiranda, uleko, Argus has marked this note useful
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Critiques [Translate]

  • Great 
  • Luis52 Gold Star Critiquer/Gold Note Writer [C: 1022 W: 5 N: 2802] (10144)
  • [2007-12-14 17:07]

Hola Peter.- Bella la foto de estas "Hurracas" formadas en el mismo posadero. Los colores de sus ojos resaltan sobre el plumaje negro de esta aves.
Saludos Luis52

Hello Peter,
Very excellent shot of this Giant cowbird you brought here!!
You've managed to capture the very clean black colours, with excellent exposure.
Also, lovely composition and DOF here.
Well presented with informative note too.
TFS and Best wishes,
Kevin

  • Great 
  • joey Gold Star Critiquer/Gold Star Workshop Editor/Gold Note Writer [C: 1706 W: 242 N: 5635] (20049)
  • [2007-12-15 4:59]

Great shot Peter.
They may seem dull coloured from a distance but there is a beautiful purple iridescent sheen to thier plumage!
Nice image of these three Cowbirds.
Good DOF and BG.
Excellent POV and composition.
I love that yellow eye!
Well done,
Joe

  • Great 
  • taba Gold Star Critiquer/Gold Star Workshop Editor/Gold Note Writer [C: 463 W: 126 N: 269] (1514)
  • [2007-12-15 5:03]

Olá Peter
muito boa captura e composição com as outras duas aves...
BOns DOF, POV e cores...
parabéns.
Taba

  • Great 
  • Debz Gold Star Critiquer/Gold Note Writer [C: 582 W: 0 N: 866] (3283)
  • [2007-12-15 9:15]

Hi Peter, These Cowbird look like very slick and stylish Crows. Very handsome and obviously very large in size. You managed good exposure on the blacks and the foreground bird is nice and sharp with great light on the brightly coloured eye. Good composiiton and interesting note.
tfs
debz

  • Great 
  • EOSF1 Gold Star Critiquer/Gold Star Workshop Editor/Gold Note Writer [C: 1331 W: 108 N: 4848] (21470)
  • [2007-12-15 10:31]

Hello Peter, great shot of these Cowbird, you captured this dark bird very well with a great exposure, good composition and great pose, well done my friend. Thanks !

Mario

hola peter
on a l'impression qu'il dit < attention je monte la garde> parfaite netteté sur le sujet principal, tres bon réglage de ton appareil.
tres bonne composition avec bon dof
félicitations et merci a toi
edith

  • Great 
  • arfer Gold Star Critiquer [C: 2731 W: 0 N: 0] (0)
  • [2007-12-15 18:07]

Hello Peter

Well exposed with very good definition in the dark plumage.
You did a great job on the eye,it is sharp and well focused.
Very good focus and detail.
The colours are well saturated.
TFS

Rob

  • Great 
  • uleko Gold Star Critiquer/Gold Star Workshop Editor/Gold Note Writer [C: 2475 W: 168 N: 7514] (23734)
  • [2007-12-18 6:56]

Hello Peter,
Very proud-looking bird with a lovely shiny plumage and a beautiful yellow eye. I like the two next door too although it's a tight crop. Good sharpness and a beautiful soft background. Very well composed!
Many thanks, Ulla

  • Great 
  • Argus Gold Star Critiquer/Gold Star Workshop Editor/Gold Note Writer [C: 2620 W: 135 N: 7538] (23519)
  • [2008-04-05 6:59]

Hello Peter,
This is one of the few that I missed seeing of your trip to the Pantanal. A fine capture of a giant Cowbird in a great pose in an excellent composition with its OOF friends in the BG. Sorry I missed this one!
Have a good weekend,
Ivan

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