Brown-headed Cowbird
Molothrus ater (Boddaert, 1783) (0, 5)
Photo © By Kurt Bauschardt from Edmonton, Canada - Brown-headed Cowbird, CC BY-SA 2.0, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=38322651
STATUS
North America. Polytypic.
OVERVIEW
The first for the Western Palearctic occurred in Norway during June 1987, the Argyll record being the second record. Three individuals crossed the Atlantic in 2009 in the spring with the July individual in Pembrokeshire presumably having crossed earlier.
In North America cowbirds associate with Common Starlings but are considered short-distance migrants. However their arrival here matches the established pattern of Nearctic sparrows.
BBRC RECORDS
1). 1988 Argyll Ardnave, Islay, male, 24th April.
(M. J. Rogers and the Rarities Committee, British Birds 86: 536; C. R. McKay, British Birds 87: 284-288; BOURC (1993), Ibis 135: 496).
2). 2009 Northumberland Belford, adult male, 25th April to 2nd May, photo.
(Birding World 22 (6): 230, photo; N. A. J. Hudson and the Rarities Committee, British Birds 103: 632).
3). 2009 Fair Isle Upper Stonebrake and Haa, male, 8th to 10th May, photo.
(British Birds 102: plate 185; D. Shaw, Birding World 22 (5): 200-203, plates 1-5; Birding World 22 (12): 501, photo; N. A. J. Hudson and the Rarities Committee, British Birds 103: 632, plate 350; D. N. Shaw, Scottish Birds 30: 170-172, plates 139-141; N. A. J. Hudson and the Rarities Committee, British Birds 104: 625).
4). 2009 Pembrokeshire Angle Village, male, 14th to 15th July, photo.
(Birding World 22 (7): 274, photos; N. A. J. Hudson and the Rarities Committee, British Birds 103: 632; Welsh Birds 7: 156, photo).
5). 2010 Co. Durham Seaburn, male, 10th May, photo.
(Birding World 23 (6): 230, photo; N. A. J. Hudson and the Rarities Committee, British Birds 104: 625; Bowey & Newsome, 2012: photo).
