Bronzed Cowbird

Bronzed Cowbird

Molothrus aeneus

Silhouette: Andy Wilson · PhyloPic

LCLeast ConcernNTVUENCR
Daily sighting probability ~20% · Possible
at Mexico City

In 3 days ~50% in a week ~80%

2,848 Verified sightings at Mexico City
6,865 In all 46 parks From 2019 to 2026
May Best month
☀️ Diurnal When it's spotted

About the Bronzed Cowbird

The bronzed cowbird (Molothrus aeneus), also known as the red-eyed cowbird, is a small icterid native to North America. The bronze-brown cowbird, which is restricted to the Caribbean coast of Colombia, was formerly considered to be an isolated population of this species.

They breed from the U.S. states of California, Arizona, New Mexico, Texas, and Louisiana south through Central America to Panama. They tend to be found in farmland, brush, and feedlots. Outside the breeding season, they are found in very open habitats, and roost in thick woods. These birds forage in open areas, often near cattle in pastures. Their diet mostly consists of seeds and insects, along with snails during breeding season for a calcium source.

The male bronzed cowbird is 20 cm (7.9 in) long and weighs 68 g (2.4 oz), with green-bronze... Wikipedia →

Sounds

Song1:18

Mexico · 2022

© Manuel Grosselet · XC712996 · CC BY-NC-SA 4.0

Call1:05

Mexico · 2019

© Richard E. Webster · XC502511 · CC BY-NC-SA 4.0

Begging call0:46

Mexico · 2012

© Elvis Herrera Rodríguez · XC171019 · CC BY-NC-SA 3.0

Global Distribution

Parks Where Found

# Park Country Daily sighting probability
1 Sian Ka'an Biosphere Reserve 🇲🇽 Mexico
~20%
2 Piedras Blancas National Park 🇨🇷 Costa Rica
~20%
3 Cumbres de Monterrey National Park 🇲🇽 Mexico
~20%
4 Cañón del Sumidero National Park 🇲🇽 Mexico
~10%
5 Celaque National Park 🇭🇳 Honduras
~10%
6 Volcán Barú National Park 🇵🇦 Panama
~10%
7 Celestún Biosphere Reserve 🇲🇽 Mexico
~10%
8 Cerro Azul Meámbar National Park 🇭🇳 Honduras
~10%
9 Cockscomb Basin Wildlife Sanctuary 🇧🇿 Belize
~10%
10 Manuel Antonio National Park 🇨🇷 Costa Rica
~10%
11 Lago de Yojoa 🇭🇳 Honduras
~10%
12 La Amistad International Park (Panama) 🇵🇦 Panama
~10%
13 Braulio Carrillo National Park 🇨🇷 Costa Rica
~10%
14 Calakmul Biosphere Reserve 🇲🇽 Mexico
~10%
15 Arrecifes de Cozumel National Park 🇲🇽 Mexico
~10%
16 La Tigra National Park 🇭🇳 Honduras
~10%
17 Arenal Volcano National Park 🇨🇷 Costa Rica
~10%
18 Tenorio Volcano National Park 🇨🇷 Costa Rica
~10%
19 Chirripó National Park 🇨🇷 Costa Rica
~10%
20 Marino Ballena National Park 🇨🇷 Costa Rica
~10%
21 Masaya Volcano National Park 🇳🇮 Nicaragua
<5%
22 Montes Azules Biosphere Reserve 🇲🇽 Mexico
<5%
23 Ría Lagartos Biosphere Reserve 🇲🇽 Mexico
<5%
24 Corcovado National Park 🇨🇷 Costa Rica
<5%
25 Cusuco National Park 🇭🇳 Honduras
<5%
26 Irazú Volcano National Park 🇨🇷 Costa Rica
<5%
27 Monteverde Cloud Forest Reserve 🇨🇷 Costa Rica
<5%
28 Los Quetzales National Park 🇨🇷 Costa Rica
<5%
29 Gandoca-Manzanillo Wildlife Refuge 🇨🇷 Costa Rica
<5%
30 Palo Verde National Park 🇨🇷 Costa Rica
<5%
31 Rincón de la Vieja National Park 🇨🇷 Costa Rica
<5%
32 Cabo Blanco Absolute Nature Reserve 🇨🇷 Costa Rica
<5%
33 Poás Volcano National Park 🇨🇷 Costa Rica
<5%
34 Bastimentos Island National Marine Park 🇵🇦 Panama
<5%
35 Tapantí-Macizo de la Muerte National Park 🇨🇷 Costa Rica
<5%
36 Tortuguero National Park 🇨🇷 Costa Rica
<5%
37 Carara National Park 🇨🇷 Costa Rica
<5%
38 Pico Bonito National Park 🇭🇳 Honduras
<5%
39 Saguaro National Park 🇺🇸 United States
<5%
40 Las Baulas Marine National Park 🇨🇷 Costa Rica
<5%
41 Everglades National Park 🇺🇸 United States
<5%
42 Big Bend National Park 🇺🇸 United States
<5%
43 Soberanía National Park 🇵🇦 Panama
<5%
44 Tikal National Park 🇬🇹 Guatemala
<5%
45 Cahuita National Park 🇨🇷 Costa Rica
<5%
46 Big Cypress National Preserve 🇺🇸 United States
<5%

Cities Where Found

# City Country Daily sighting probability
1 León 🇲🇽 México
~30%
2 Toluca 🇲🇽 México
~30%
3 Guatemala City 🇬🇹 Guatemala
~30%
4 Mexico City 🇲🇽 México
~20%
5 Guadalajara 🇲🇽 México
~20%
6 Puebla 🇲🇽 México
~10%
7 Monterrey 🇲🇽 México
~10%
8 San Luis Potosí 🇲🇽 México
~10%
9 San Pedro Sula 🇭🇳 Honduras
~10%
10 Managua 🇳🇮 Nicaragua
~10%

Zoos & Centres Where Found

# Zoo / Centre Country
1 Zoológico Miguél Álvarez del Toro 🇲🇽 Mexico In captivity

Before you go

What are the chances of seeing a Bronzed Cowbird in Mexico City?

Possible

About 20% of wildlife watchers report a Bronzed Cowbird sighting in Mexico City on a given day, based on 2,848 verified sightings from GBIF citizen-science data. It is the 40th most-seen of the 332 birds we can rate there. Over three days the chance rises to about 50%, and over a week to about 80%, if each day is a fresh chance.

When is the best time to see a Bronzed Cowbird in Mexico City?

May

In that month about 60% of wildlife watchers report a Bronzed Cowbird in Mexico City on a given day, against about 10% in September to February, the lowest months.

What time of day is best to see a Bronzed Cowbird?

Between 7 and 10 am

Across all the parks we cover, that three-hour window holds the most Bronzed Cowbird sightings with a recorded time, and about 9 in 10 of them come between 6 am and 6 pm: it is a daytime animal.

Is Mexico City the best place to see a Bronzed Cowbird?

4th of 22

Of the 22 cities where we can rate Bronzed Cowbird sightings, Mexico City ranks 4th at about 20%. The best odds are in León (México, about 30%), Toluca (México, about 30%) and Guatemala City (Guatemala, about 30%).

Where does the Bronzed Cowbird sighting chance come from?

GBIF citizen-science records

It is estimated from how often the Bronzed Cowbird is recorded against all the birds logged in Mexico City (2,848 verified sightings), calibrated against known sighting rates. Figures are rounded to the nearest 10% because citizen-science data supports honest approximations, not decimals, and months with records from fewer than five people show "—". How it works.

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