Giant Cowbird
Giant CowbirdGiant CowbirdGiant Cowbird

Giant Cowbird

Molothrus oryzivorus

Silhouette: Andy Wilson · PhyloPic

Least ConcernNear ThreatenedVulnerableEndangeredCritically Endangered
Daily sighting probability <5% · Rare
at Montes Azules Biosphere Reserve
29 Verified sightings at Montes Azules Biosphere Reserve From 2019 to 2026
8,184 Verified sightings across all 64 parks From 2019 to 2026
January 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 Montes Azules Biosphere Reserve

Bronzed Cowbird
LC

Bronzed Cowbird

☀️ Diurnal Bird

Molothrus aeneus

Daily sighting probability <5% · Rare
Melodious Blackbird
LC

Melodious Blackbird

☀️ Diurnal Bird

Dives dives

Daily sighting probability ~40% · Likely
Baltimore Oriole
LC

Baltimore Oriole

☀️ Diurnal Bird

Icterus galbula

Daily sighting probability ~40% · Likely
Montezuma Oropendola
LC

Montezuma Oropendola

☀️ Diurnal Bird

Psarocolius montezuma

Daily sighting probability ~30% · Possible
Great-tailed Grackle
LC

Great-tailed Grackle

☀️ Diurnal Bird

Quiscalus mexicanus

Daily sighting probability ~30% · Possible
Orchard Oriole
LC

Orchard Oriole

☀️ Diurnal Bird

Icterus spurius

Daily sighting probability ~20% · Possible
Yellow-billed Cacique
LC

Yellow-billed Cacique

☀️ Diurnal Bird

Amblycercus holosericeus

Daily sighting probability ~20% · Possible
Yellow-tailed Oriole
LC

Yellow-tailed Oriole

☀️ Diurnal Bird

Icterus mesomelas

Daily sighting probability ~10% · With luck
Black-cowled Oriole
LC

Black-cowled Oriole

☀️ Diurnal Bird

Icterus prosthemelas

Daily sighting probability <5% · Rare
Eastern Meadowlark
NT

Eastern Meadowlark

☀️ Diurnal Bird

Sturnella magna

Daily sighting probability <5% · Rare
Red-winged Blackbird
LC

Red-winged Blackbird

☀️ Diurnal Bird

Agelaius phoeniceus

Daily sighting probability <5% · Rare
Chestnut-headed Oropendola
LC

Chestnut-headed Oropendola

☀️ Diurnal Bird

Psarocolius wagleri

Daily sighting probability <5% · Rare

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 Montes Azules Biosphere Reserve?

Under 5% of wildlife watchers report a Giant Cowbird sighting in Montes Azules Biosphere Reserve, based on 29 verified sightings from GBIF citizen-science data.

When is the best time to see Giant Cowbird in Montes Azules Biosphere Reserve?

January has the highest sighting rate for Giant Cowbird in Montes Azules Biosphere Reserve in our monthly data.

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