Shiny Cowbird
Molothrus bonariensis
- KingdomAnimalia (Animals)
- PhylumChordata (Cordats)
- ClassAves (Aus)
- OrderPasseriformes
- FamilyIcteridae (Ictèrids)
- GenusMolothrus (Cowbirds)
- SpeciesMolothrus bonariensis (Shiny Cowbird)
The shiny cowbird (Molothrus bonariensis) is a passerine bird in the New World family Icteridae. It breeds in most of South America except for dense forests and areas of high altitude such as mountains. Since 1900 the shiny cowbird's range has shifted northward, and it was recorded in the Caribbean islands as well as the United States, where it is found breeding in southern Florida. It is a bird associated with open habitats, including disturbed land from agriculture and deforestation. Adults are sexually dimorphic. Males are all black with a purple-blue iridescence. Wikipedia →
10–20% of wildlife watchers report a Shiny Cowbird sighting in Noel Kempff Mercado National Park, based on 5 days of visitor records from GBIF citizen-science data.
Closest Relatives at Noel Kempff Mercado National Park
Giant Cowbird
Molothrus oryzivorus
Orange-backed Oriole
Icterus icterus
Yellow-rumped Cacique
Cacicus cela
Red-breasted Blackbird
Sturnella militaris
White-browed Meadowlark
Sturnella superciliaris
Chopí Blackbird
Gnorimopsar chopi
Russet-backed Oropendola
Psarocolius angustifrons
Crested Oropendola
Psarocolius decumanus
Grayish Baywing
Agelaioides badius
Great Kiskadee
Pitangus sulphuratus
Silver-beaked Tanager
Ramphocelus carbo
Rusty-margined Flycatcher
Myiozetetes cayanensis
📅 Monthly Probability
☀️ When They're Spotted
Most active during daytime hours (6am–6pm) · across all parks (global)
Global Distribution
Where this species is recorded worldwide. Restricted to human observations from 2019 onwards — the same kind of record and the same period the probabilities on this page are built from, so collar-tracking studies, camera-trap arrays and museum specimens are excluded. Around Santa Rosa that removes 5,924 GPS fixes from a handful of tagged jaguars.
where this species is recorded (GBIF density — it tracks where observers go, not how likely a sighting is) · parks where it occurs — tap a pin for the sighting probability there
Parks Where Found
Quick answers
What are the chances of seeing a Shiny Cowbird in Noel Kempff Mercado National Park?
About 17% of wildlife watchers report a Shiny Cowbird sighting in Noel Kempff Mercado National Park, based on 5 days of visitor records from GBIF citizen-science data.
When is the best time to see Shiny Cowbird in Noel Kempff Mercado National Park?
November has the highest sighting rate for Shiny Cowbird in Noel Kempff Mercado National Park in our monthly data.