The screaming cowbird is an obligate brood parasite belonging to the family Icteridae and is found in South America. It is also known commonly as the short billed cowbird.
Region
South-central South America
Typical Environment
Occurs primarily in open and semi-open habitats including pampas grasslands, savannas, scrub, pastures, and agricultural edges. Frequently found near human-modified landscapes where livestock are present, taking advantage of disturbed ground. Uses riparian thickets, marsh edges, and hedgerows for perching and host nest-searching. Often accompanies mixed icterid flocks in lightly wooded or shrubby areas.
Altitude Range
0–1500 m
Climate Zone
Temperate
Ease of Keeping
Beginner friendly: 1/5
An obligate brood parasite, the screaming cowbird lays its eggs almost exclusively in the nests of the baywing (Agelaioides badius). Males show distinctive rufous underwing coverts visible in flight, a clue to separate them from the similar shiny cowbird. Its name comes from its sharp, penetrating calls that carry over open country. Despite its parasitic lifestyle, the species is widespread and not currently considered threatened.
Temperament
social and active
Flight Pattern
short rapid wingbeats with brief glides
Social Behavior
Often in small groups or mixed flocks, especially around foraging sites with livestock. Does not build its own nest; females deposit eggs in host nests, primarily those of the baywing, sometimes with multiple females using the same nest. Courtship involves vocal displays and chasing flights.
Migratory Pattern
Resident
Song Description
Vocalizations are sharp, nasal, and screeching, giving rise to the common name. Calls carry over open habitats and are used in social contact and display. Song sequences are simple but emphatic, with repeated harsh notes.
Plumage
Male is uniform glossy black with conspicuous rufous axillaries visible in flight; female is dull brownish to gray-brown with paler underparts and faint streaking. Both sexes have a short, stout bill and dark bare parts. At rest, underwing color is often concealed.
Diet
Takes a mix of seeds, grains, and small invertebrates such as beetles, grasshoppers, and spiders. Often forages on the ground, picking items from short vegetation or bare soil. Will exploit food flushed by grazing livestock and takes advantage of human-altered areas for spilled grain.
Preferred Environment
Feeds in pastures, field margins, short-grass areas, and along roadsides. Also uses the edges of wetlands and riparian corridors, especially where hosts are nesting nearby.
