Cowbird Control

As part of our wildlife tax valuation, we trap and destroy Brown-headed Cowbirds.  The Cowbird history is one of times when they followed the Buffalo herds across the Great Plains, then man removed the buffalo. So the Cowbirds which used other birds to raise their young and had little impact on those bird populations as they we always on the move, now follow cattle which are fenced in and thus the Cowbird stays put and finds plenty of breeding birds year after year to take care of their young while removing the young of their host.

So man now has to control the Cowbird population or loose many of its critical species that are so easily parasitized by the Cowbird.  The control other than a shot gun, which I used last year to removed 30+ Cowbirds, is a trap for Cowbirds.  I recently upgraded from a smaller trap to the one in the picture.  We started with 7 birds three days ago and now have 11.  All  I do is keep some millet and water plus a few starter birds and the Cowbirds do the rest of the work for me.  Once I get to a couple of dozen, I will remove about half and destroy them by breaking their neck. For us, the Painted Bunting is the bird of concern on the ranch.