Giant Cowbird

Molothrus oryzivorus

The Birds of the World website introduces the Giant Cowbird with this descriptive information:  As its common name indicates, the Giant Cowbird is a large cowbird. Indeed the Giant Cowbird dwarfs any other species of Molothrus, and at first glance may seem to have little in common with other cowbirds. Like other species of Molothrus, however, the Giant Cowbird is a brood parasite, and lays its eggs in the nest of other large-bodied birds, principally oropendolas (Psarocolius, perhaps other genera as well) and caciques (Cacicus). The male Giant Cowbird has a conspicuous ruff of feathers around the neck; this ruff may contribute to the Giant Cowbird’s peculiar small-headed appearance. This species has a wide geographic range; it’s distribution may be spreading higher into the Andes following deforestation, but it also may have been extirpated from some areas after the host species disappeared following the loss of their forest habitat.

I met my first Giant Cowbird on Thursday morning, August 31, 2023.  Our Jeff Parker Tour group was staying at Southwild’s Pouso Alegre Lodge and on this morning I was hanging out at the main feeder at the Lodge.  Our guide Liko was kind enough to explain to me the three types of Cowbirds in terms of their size.  The Screaming Cowbird is the smallest, the Shiny Cowbird is in the middle, and the Giant Cowbird is by far the largest.  All three sizes were present that morning, with the Giant Cowbird being easily distinguished because of its size and bright eye color.   For details of my Brazilian trip that include the sighting of this bird, look here.  Below are a couple of my photos of this large and distinctive black bird.