A striking pose, but...

...this is not a bird I am happy to see in our garden. According to my bird book, the brownheaded cowbird lays its eggs in the nests of other songbirds and parasitizes at least 140 species. The name cowbird came about because they used to follow the bison herds. Now that we no longer have bison herds roaming Ohio, they flock to cattle. They come into contact with many songbird species, birds that have not developed a defense against the parasitism. As a result, these cowbirds, striking as they are, can greatly reduce a species' nesting success, which explains why I do not want to see them at my feeders. Can you believe the cowbird invades the nests of 140 species, laying its eggs in their nests and interrupting the nesting cycles of the other songbirds, some of which have become endangered species?

Weatherwise, this has been a cool, windy day with just a few sprinkles of raindrops so far. It seemed like a good day to look for a backyard blip, and this is the result. I also blipped some goldfinches and a squirrel, but chose to post the cowbird with its striking pose and interesting story.