Two Brown Thrashers and a Red-winged Blackbird

11 years ago

Note: I also posted these pics on the New England Gardening Forum.

Two Brown Thrashers have apparently decided to take up residence in my yard. I'm seeing them almost every day. I've read that Brown Thrashers are the largest common host of parasitic Brown-headed Cowbirds. The thrashers do put up some resistance, often rejecting cowbird eggs that are laid in their nests.

Maybe this is why the thrashers were looking so suspiciously at the female red-wing this morning - she associates with female cowbirds? or looks like one? There was no hostility otherwise.

Claire

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Comments (6)

catherinet
11 years ago
I didn't think female rwbbs were that sociable! :)

This is the first year ever that I was seeing 2 brown thrashers together. And a neighbor down the road called and she had seen 2 together too. I just love their song. It always sounds so happy.
Pyewacket
11 years ago
Well, that explains what that mysterious "sparrow" that I've been trying to identify is!
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claireplymouth z6b coastal MA
Original Author
11 years ago
zensojourner: Is your "mysterious sparrow" a female red-wing or a thrasher?

Claire
Pyewacket
11 years ago
Oh, sorry - female redwing blackbird. I have been through the long list of different sparrow species on different sites repeatedly trying to identify them. I think I've seen a couple of different individuals - but nary a single male.

I've also got a mated pair of cardinals visiting regularly. I'm guessing they are nesting nearby. But I've not seen a single male redwing blackbird, despite the females visiting fairly regularly.
catherinet
11 years ago
That's curious. The males are usually the first ones you see/hear. Do you have a field nearby?
Pyewacket
11 years ago
There is a park, a small field that is regularly mowed, and a sort of a wet-weather slough that runs between four properties (one of which is ours). It's basically what's left when a developer is too lazy to properly landscape when they build a plat on uneven terrain.

There may be only one of the females; We've been away for awhile and I've not yet seen her again since we got back. Apparently my female house sparrows have lost their itty-bitty minds and have taken to scattering the seed from the window feeder far and wide, which has finally given the grackles something they can get at. The grackles are making things a little more difficult for everyone else and I wonder if they've driven her off. So I'll not be filling the window feeder any more - then we'll see if Ms. RWBB comes back or no, LOL!

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Two Brown Thrashers and a Red-winged Blackbird

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catherinet

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claireplymouth z6b coastal MA
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Two Brown Thrashers and a Red-winged Blackbird

Comments (6)

catherinet

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claireplymouth z6b coastal MAOriginal Author

Pyewacket

catherinet

Pyewacket

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claireplymouth z6b coastal MA
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