Shiny Cowbird

Molothrus bonariensis

Least ConcernNear ThreatenedVulnerableEndangeredCritically Endangered

KingdomAnimalia (Animals)
PhylumChordata (Cordats)
ClassAves (Aus)
OrderPasseriformes
FamilyIcteridae (Ictèrids)
GenusMolothrus (Cowbirds)
SpeciesMolothrus bonariensis (Shiny Cowbird)

Insufficient data

overall probability at Ostional Wildlife Refuge

1 Verified records at Ostional Wildlife Refuge

☀️ Diurnal When it's active during daytime hours (6am–6pm)

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 →

Closest Relatives at Ostional Wildlife Refuge

Molothrus aeneus

Quiscalus mexicanus

Icterus galbula

Dives dives

Icterus pustulatus

Icterus pectoralis

Icterus spurius

Amblycercus holosericeus

Insufficient data

Agelaius phoeniceus

Insufficient data

Pitangus sulphuratus

70–80% · Very likely

Campylorhynchus capistratus

60–70% · Likely

Tyrannus melancholicus

50–60% · Likely

See all 12 relatives Show fewer

📅 Monthly Probability

📊

Fewer than 5 records of Shiny Cowbird at Ostional Wildlife Refuge — not enough to chart months honestly.

☀️ When They're Spotted

Most active during daytime hours (6am–6pm) · across all parks (global)

☀️Diurnal

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

#	Park	Country	Probability
1	Iberá National Park	🇦🇷 Argentina	40–50%
2	Farallones de Cali National Natural Park	🇨🇴 Colombia	40–50%
3	Itatiaia National Park	🇧🇷 Brazil	30–40%
4	Chapada dos Guimarães National Park	🇧🇷 Brazil	30–40%
5	Tayrona National Natural Park	🇨🇴 Colombia	20–30%
6	El Palmar National Park	🇦🇷 Argentina	20–30%
7	Serra da Canastra National Park	🇧🇷 Brazil	20–30%
8	Main Ridge Forest Reserve	🇹🇹 Trinidad and Tobago	20–30%
9	Amboró National Park	🇧🇴 Bolivia	10–20%
10	El Impenetrable National Park	🇦🇷 Argentina	10–20%
11	Noel Kempff Mercado National Park	🇧🇴 Bolivia	10–20%
12	Machalilla National Park	🇪🇨 Ecuador	10–20%
13	Darién National Park	🇵🇦 Panama	10–20%
14	Iguazú National Park	🇦🇷 Argentina	10–20%
15	Serra dos Órgãos National Park	🇧🇷 Brazil	10–20%
16	San Lorenzo Protected Forest	🇵🇦 Panama	10–20%
17	Anavilhanas National Park	🇧🇷 Brazil	10–20%
18	Emas National Park	🇧🇷 Brazil	10–20%
19	Iguaçu National Park	🇧🇷 Brazil	10–20%
20	Península Valdés	🇦🇷 Argentina	10–20%
21	Chapada Diamantina National Park	🇧🇷 Brazil	10–20%
22	Ciénaga de Zapata	🇨🇺 Cuba	10–20%
23	Blue and John Crow Mountains National Park	🇯🇲 Jamaica	10–20%
24	Paracas National Reserve	🇵🇪 Peru	10–20%
25	Soberanía National Park	🇵🇦 Panama	5–10%
26	Piedras Blancas National Park	🇨🇷 Costa Rica	5–10%
27	Puracé National Natural Park	🇨🇴 Colombia	5–10%
28	Caroni Swamp	🇹🇹 Trinidad and Tobago	5–10%
29	Cordillera Azul National Park	🇵🇪 Peru	5–10%
30	Los Nevados National Natural Park	🇨🇴 Colombia	5–10%
31	Los Haitises National Park	🇩🇴 Dominican Republic	5–10%
32	Henri Pittier National Park	🇻🇪 Venezuela	5–10%
33	Nahuel Huapi National Park	🇦🇷 Argentina	5–10%
34	Cuyabeno Wildlife Reserve	🇪🇨 Ecuador	5–10%
35	Yasuní National Park	🇪🇨 Ecuador	5–10%
36	Sierra de la Macarena National Park	🇨🇴 Colombia	5–10%
37	Everglades National Park	🇺🇸 United States	5–10%
38	Volcán Barú National Park	🇵🇦 Panama	<5%
39	Madidi National Park	🇧🇴 Bolivia	<5%
40	Jaragua National Park	🇩🇴 Dominican Republic	<5%
41	Manuel Antonio National Park	🇨🇷 Costa Rica	<5%
42	Chagres National Park	🇵🇦 Panama	<5%
43	Parque Estadual Encontro das Águas	🇧🇷 Brazil	<5%
44	Tijuca National Park	🇧🇷 Brazil	<5%
45	La Amistad International Park (Panama)	🇵🇦 Panama	<5%
46	Chingaza National Natural Park	🇨🇴 Colombia	<5%
47	Braulio Carrillo National Park	🇨🇷 Costa Rica	<5%
48	Corcovado National Park	🇨🇷 Costa Rica	<5%
49	Big Cypress National Preserve	🇺🇸 United States	<5%
50	Podocarpus National Park	🇪🇨 Ecuador	<5%
51	Arenal Volcano National Park	🇨🇷 Costa Rica	<5%
52	Cabo Blanco Absolute Nature Reserve	🇨🇷 Costa Rica	<5%
53	Gandoca-Manzanillo Wildlife Refuge	🇨🇷 Costa Rica	<5%
54	Amacayacu National Natural Park	🇨🇴 Colombia	<5%
55	Chirripó National Park	🇨🇷 Costa Rica	<5%
56	Marino Ballena National Park	🇨🇷 Costa Rica	<5%
57	Tambopata National Reserve	🇵🇪 Peru	<5%
58	Manu National Park	🇵🇪 Peru	<5%
59	Los Quetzales National Park	🇨🇷 Costa Rica	<5%
60	Tapantí-Macizo de la Muerte National Park	🇨🇷 Costa Rica	<5%
61	Parque Natural Metropolitano	🇵🇦 Panama	<5%
62	Carara National Park	🇨🇷 Costa Rica	<5%
63	Tortuguero National Park	🇨🇷 Costa Rica	<5%
64	Bastimentos Island National Marine Park	🇵🇦 Panama	<5%
65	Tenorio Volcano National Park	🇨🇷 Costa Rica	<5%
66	Monteverde Cloud Forest Reserve	🇨🇷 Costa Rica	<5%
67	Cahuita National Park	🇨🇷 Costa Rica	Insufficient data
68	Santa Rosa National Park	🇨🇷 Costa Rica	Insufficient data
69	Las Baulas Marine National Park	🇨🇷 Costa Rica	Insufficient data
70	Huascarán National Park	🇵🇪 Peru	Insufficient data
71	Vicente Pérez Rosales National Park	🇨🇱 Chile	Insufficient data
72	Ostional Wildlife Refuge	🇨🇷 Costa Rica	Insufficient data
73	Palo Verde National Park	🇨🇷 Costa Rica	Insufficient data

← Back to Ostional Wildlife Refuge

Shiny Cowbird

Closest Relatives at Ostional Wildlife Refuge

Bronzed Cowbird

Great-tailed Grackle

Baltimore Oriole

Melodious Blackbird

Streak-backed Oriole

Spot-breasted Oriole

Orchard Oriole

Yellow-billed Cacique

Red-winged Blackbird

Great Kiskadee

Rufous-backed Wren

Tropical Kingbird

📅 Monthly Probability

☀️ When They're Spotted

Global Distribution

Parks Where Found