KU Field Station

One of these things is not like the others… 🎵🐦‍⬛

The speckled egg in this Dickcissel nest belongs to a Brown-headed Cowbird, a brood parasite that lays its eggs in the nests of other bird species.

This strategy likely evolved as cowbirds followed roaming bison herds across the Great Plains, feeding on insects flushed out by grazing bison. Staying with the herd meant there was no time to build a nest or raise young. By leaving parental care to their hosts, a single cowbird can lay 30–40 eggs in a single breeding season!

Just another fascinating story hidden within the prairie, reminding us that there is more than one way to make a living in nature.

𝘛𝘩𝘢𝘯𝘬𝘴 𝘵𝘰 𝘳𝘦𝘴𝘦𝘢𝘳𝘤𝘩𝘦𝘳𝘴 𝘸𝘰𝘳𝘬𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘪𝘯 𝘢 𝘯𝘦𝘸𝘭𝘺 𝘦𝘴𝘵𝘢𝘣𝘭𝘪𝘴𝘩𝘦𝘥 𝘌𝘤𝘰𝘭𝘰𝘨𝘺 𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘌𝘷𝘰𝘭𝘶𝘵𝘪𝘰𝘯 𝘰𝘧 𝘐𝘯𝘧𝘦𝘤𝘵𝘪𝘰𝘶𝘴 𝘋𝘪𝘴𝘦𝘢𝘴𝘦𝘴 𝘴𝘵𝘶𝘥𝘺 𝘱𝘭𝘰𝘵 𝘧𝘰𝘳 𝘵𝘩𝘪𝘴 𝘧𝘪𝘯𝘥!