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Articles from Britannica encyclopedias for elementary and high school students.
- cowbird - Children's Encyclopedia (Ages 8-11)
As their name suggests, cowbirds often live among cattle and other large mammals. They feed on insects stirred up as these animals graze. Cowbirds are songbirds that are related to grackles, orioles, meadowlarks, and most types of blackbird.
- cowbird - Student Encyclopedia (Ages 11 and up)
Cowbirds are songbirds that are related to grackles, orioles, meadowlarks, and most types of blackbird. Cowbirds are named for their habit of associating with cattle in order to prey upon insects stirred up from vegetation as the cattle graze. There are five species of cowbirds, and they belong to the family Icteridae (order Passeriformes).