Cowbird Courtship

Spring has arrived and love is definitely in the air!

This afternoon I had the pleasure of watching this male cowbird doing his best to capture the attention of a fair-feathered maiden.

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He reminded me of a cross between the Caped Crusader and Count Dracula as he repeatedly arched his wings, puffed his feathers, and tap-danced down the tree branch.

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Each time he took a step or two, he would call out to her in short bursts of song.

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She mostly pretended to ignore him, but occasionally sent him a flirtatious glance; giving him just enough encouragement to keep him in steady pursuit!

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I would love to tell you how it all ended, but just as our hooded hero seemed poised to make his final move…

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…the moment was rudely interrupted by the roar of a chainsaw in my neighbor’s backyard.  The pair then flew off to a more private location, but I think it’s safe to say that there will be Cowbird babies hanging around in the near future.

25 thoughts on “Cowbird Courtship

  1. Cute. We ate out this evening and sat on the restaurant patio. I noticed a couple of sparrows on their honeymoon also. Must be the season for romance.

  2. Great photos, Kathy. I’m also not a fan of these birds, mostly because I see the poor little Chipping Sparrows trying to rear Cowbird babies instead of their own chicks every year.

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