Giant Cowbird
Giant CowbirdGiant CowbirdGiant Cowbird

Giant Cowbird

Molothrus oryzivorus

Silhouette: Andy Wilson · PhyloPic

Least ConcernNear ThreatenedVulnerableEndangeredCritically Endangered
Daily sighting probability ~40% · Likely
at Main Ridge Forest Reserve
228 Verified sightings at Main Ridge Forest Reserve From 2019 to 2026
8,184 Verified sightings across all 64 parks From 2019 to 2026
April Best month highest sighting rate
☀️ Diurnal When it's spotted during daytime hours (6am–6pm)

About the Giant Cowbird

The giant cowbird (Molothrus oryzivorus) is a large passerine bird in the New World family Icteridae. It breeds from southern Mexico south to northern Argentina, and on Trinidad and Tobago. It may have relatively recently colonised the latter island. It is a brood parasite and lays its eggs in the nests of other birds.

The giant cowbird was formally described in 1788 by the German naturalist Johann Friedrich Gmelin in his revised and expanded edition of Carl Linnaeus's Systema Naturae. He placed it with the orioles in the genus Oriolus and coined the binomial name Oriolus oryzivorus. Gmelin based his account on the "rice bird" from Cayenne that had been described in 1782 by the English ornithologist John Latham in his multi-volume work A General Synopsis of Birds. The specific epithet is from Latin oryza meaning "rice" and -vorus meaning "eating". The giant cowbird is now one of six cowbirds placed in the genus Molothrus that was introduced in 1832 by William Swainson.

Two subspecies are recognised: M. o. impacifus (Peters, JL, 1929) – east Mexico to west Panama M. o. oryzivorus (Gmelin, JF, 1788) – central Panama to Peru, Bolivia and north Argentina Wikipedia →

Closest Relatives at Main Ridge Forest Reserve

Shiny Cowbird
LC

Shiny Cowbird

☀️ Diurnal Bird

Molothrus bonariensis

Daily sighting probability ~20% · Possible
Crested Oropendola
LC

Crested Oropendola

☀️ Diurnal Bird

Psarocolius decumanus

Daily sighting probability ~60% · Likely
Carib Grackle
LC

Carib Grackle

☀️ Diurnal Bird

Quiscalus lugubris

Daily sighting probability ~20% · Possible
Bananaquit
LC

Bananaquit

☀️ Diurnal Bird

Coereba flaveola

Daily sighting probability ~90% · Very likely
Blue-backed Manakin
LC

Blue-backed Manakin

☀️ Diurnal Bird

Chiroxiphia pareola

Daily sighting probability ~80% · Very likely
Barred Antshrike
LC

Barred Antshrike

☀️ Diurnal Bird

Thamnophilus doliatus

Daily sighting probability ~80% · Very likely
Tropical Kingbird
LC

Tropical Kingbird

☀️ Diurnal Bird

Tyrannus melancholicus

Daily sighting probability ~70% · Very likely
Blue-gray Tanager

Blue-gray Tanager

☀️ Diurnal Bird

Thraupis episcopus

Daily sighting probability ~70% · Very likely
White-lined Tanager
LC

White-lined Tanager

☀️ Diurnal Bird

Tachyphonus rufus

Daily sighting probability ~60% · Likely
Rufous-breasted Wren
LC

Rufous-breasted Wren

☀️ Diurnal Bird

Pheugopedius rutilus

Daily sighting probability ~60% · Likely
Yellow-legged Thrush
LC

Yellow-legged Thrush

☀️ Diurnal Bird

Turdus flavipes

Daily sighting probability ~50% · Likely
Cocoa Woodcreeper
LC

Cocoa Woodcreeper

☀️ Diurnal Bird

Xiphorhynchus susurrans

Daily sighting probability ~50% · Likely

Global Distribution

Warmer areas are where this animal is recorded most often.

Parks Where Found

# Park Country Daily sighting probability
1 Main Ridge Forest Reserve 🇹🇹 Trinidad and Tobago
~40%
2 Noel Kempff Mercado National Park 🇧🇴 Bolivia
~20%
3 Cuyabeno Wildlife Reserve 🇪🇨 Ecuador
~20%
4 Yasuní National Park 🇪🇨 Ecuador
~20%
5 Darién National Park 🇵🇦 Panama
~20%
6 Tambopata National Reserve 🇵🇪 Peru
~10%
7 San Lorenzo Protected Forest 🇵🇦 Panama
~10%
8 Iguaçu National Park 🇧🇷 Brazil
~10%
9 Madidi National Park 🇧🇴 Bolivia
~10%
10 Parque Estadual Encontro das Águas 🇧🇷 Brazil
~10%
11 Iguazú National Park 🇦🇷 Argentina
~10%
12 Chapada dos Guimarães National Park 🇧🇷 Brazil
~10%
13 Cordillera Azul National Park 🇵🇪 Peru
~10%
14 Manu National Park 🇵🇪 Peru
~10%
15 Amacayacu National Natural Park 🇨🇴 Colombia
~10%
16 Sierra de la Macarena National Park 🇨🇴 Colombia
~10%
17 Lago de Yojoa 🇭🇳 Honduras
~10%
18 Bastimentos Island National Marine Park 🇵🇦 Panama
~10%
19 Serra da Canastra National Park 🇧🇷 Brazil
~10%
20 Pico Bonito National Park 🇭🇳 Honduras
~10%
21 La Amistad International Park (Panama) 🇵🇦 Panama
~10%
22 Tikal National Park 🇬🇹 Guatemala
~10%
23 Cusuco National Park 🇭🇳 Honduras
<5%
24 Gandoca-Manzanillo Wildlife Refuge 🇨🇷 Costa Rica
<5%
25 Anavilhanas National Park 🇧🇷 Brazil
<5%
26 Soberanía National Park 🇵🇦 Panama
<5%
27 Cerro Azul Meámbar National Park 🇭🇳 Honduras
<5%
28 Manuel Antonio National Park 🇨🇷 Costa Rica
<5%
29 Tortuguero National Park 🇨🇷 Costa Rica
<5%
30 Machalilla National Park 🇪🇨 Ecuador
<5%
31 Puracé National Natural Park 🇨🇴 Colombia
<5%
32 Braulio Carrillo National Park 🇨🇷 Costa Rica
<5%
33 Cockscomb Basin Wildlife Sanctuary 🇧🇿 Belize
<5%
34 Amboró National Park 🇧🇴 Bolivia
<5%
35 Henri Pittier National Park 🇻🇪 Venezuela
<5%
36 Montes Azules Biosphere Reserve 🇲🇽 Mexico
<5%
37 Arenal Volcano National Park 🇨🇷 Costa Rica
<5%
38 Piedras Blancas National Park 🇨🇷 Costa Rica
<5%
39 Podocarpus National Park 🇪🇨 Ecuador
<5%
40 Caroni Swamp 🇹🇹 Trinidad and Tobago
<5%
41 Itatiaia National Park 🇧🇷 Brazil
<5%
42 Los Nevados National Natural Park 🇨🇴 Colombia
<5%
43 Rincón de la Vieja National Park 🇨🇷 Costa Rica
<5%
44 Tayrona National Natural Park 🇨🇴 Colombia
<5%
45 Chagres National Park 🇵🇦 Panama
<5%
46 Farallones de Cali National Natural Park 🇨🇴 Colombia
<5%
47 Chingaza National Natural Park 🇨🇴 Colombia
<5%
48 Tapantí-Macizo de la Muerte National Park 🇨🇷 Costa Rica
<5%
49 Chirripó National Park 🇨🇷 Costa Rica
<5%
50 Tenorio Volcano National Park 🇨🇷 Costa Rica
<5%
51 Carara National Park 🇨🇷 Costa Rica
<5%
52 Marino Ballena National Park 🇨🇷 Costa Rica
<5%
53 Monteverde Cloud Forest Reserve 🇨🇷 Costa Rica
<5%
54 Corcovado National Park 🇨🇷 Costa Rica
<5%
55 Celaque National Park 🇭🇳 Honduras
Insufficient data
56 Los Quetzales National Park 🇨🇷 Costa Rica
Insufficient data
57 Utría National Natural Park 🇨🇴 Colombia
Insufficient data
58 Brownsberg Nature Park 🇸🇷 Suriname
Insufficient data
59 Iberá National Park 🇦🇷 Argentina
Insufficient data
60 Cahuita National Park 🇨🇷 Costa Rica
Insufficient data
61 Cañón del Sumidero National Park 🇲🇽 Mexico
Insufficient data
62 Parque Natural Metropolitano 🇵🇦 Panama
Insufficient data
63 Palo Verde National Park 🇨🇷 Costa Rica
Insufficient data
64 Tijuca National Park 🇧🇷 Brazil
Insufficient data

Quick answers

What are the chances of seeing a Giant Cowbird in Main Ridge Forest Reserve?

About 40% of wildlife watchers report a Giant Cowbird sighting in Main Ridge Forest Reserve, based on 228 verified sightings from GBIF citizen-science data.

When is the best time to see Giant Cowbird in Main Ridge Forest Reserve?

April has the highest sighting rate for Giant Cowbird in Main Ridge Forest Reserve in our monthly data.

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