This bird is a parasite? #animals #wildlife #weirdfacts

Added: 2026-06-01

[00:00:00]This is the most successful avian parasite in the world, and I'm going to show you how. The brown-headed cowbird lays its eggs in other birds' nests.

[00:00:08]When the chicks hatch, they're often so loud and needy, they outcompete [music] the host's chicks for food. The cowbird doesn't have to spend any time raising chicks or building a nest. [music] Instead, it can maximize its deadbeat reputation by laying more than 40 eggs a season. Oh, and if the nesting bird decides to reject the cowbird's eggs [music] or chicks, the cowbird will retaliate by destroying the entire nest.

[00:00:34]It would be like if I pulled a couple orphans off the street and into your house, and when you decided you didn't want them in your house, >> [music] >> I burned your house down. Suffice it to say, I'm just glad my mom isn't a brown-headed cowbird. Subscribe for more.