Susan Simenc
Sagamore Hills, OH, United States
Male Northern Cardinal feeding a juvenile Brown-headed Cowbird (brood parasite), that was presumably laid in this cardinal’s nest by its mother, and raised by the cardinals as one of its own.
Species: Brown-headed Cowbird
Just observed the same incident of the cardinals feeding a cow bird and I wondered what the heck was going on, it even mocks the same wing communication that the adults do. Thanks for the photo it cleared up a strange mystery.