brown-headed cowbird
noun
brown-head·ed cowbird
ˈbrau̇n-ˌhe-dəd-
: a cowbird (Molothrus ater) widespread in the U.S. and southern Canada in which the male is black with a brown head and the female is gray
The most famous brood parasites, the European cuckoo and the brown-headed cowbird, lay their eggs in nests of other species.—Charles R. Brown and Mary Bomberger Brown
Sadly, the vireo is vulnerable to a nest parasite, the brown-headed cowbird, that flourishes near livestock and in urban fringe areas.—Karen D. Fishler
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Merriam-Webster unabridged
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