Passport to Texas

Passport to Texas from Texas Parks and Wildlife and the Wildlife Restoration Program

Calling a brown-headed cowbird a cowbird, is a misnomer as far as biologist Marsha May is concerned.

I think they should be called bison birds, and not cowbirds, because they evolved with the bison.

Semantics aside, the bird’s habit of laying its eggs in other birds’ nests can cause the decline of species with small populations, such as the endangered Black-capped Vireo. Additional species are also impacted.

Woodland species are now being impacted by brown-headed cowbirds, because we’ve fragmented the woods. Previously those woodland species were protected by the woods. Now that it’s fragmented, the cowbirds are getting into that habitat, and they’re parasitizing birds that have never historically been parasitized before.

The cowbird is in the blackbird family. The male has a black body and brown head, while the female is mottled brown and gray. Want to intervene on songbirds’ behalf.

You can actually become certified in Texas to trap for cowbirds, and that’s mainly during the breeding season, between March first and May thirty-first. And, mainly you’re trying to trap the females.

Information on the certification program can be found at passporttotexas.org.

That’s our show… we receive support from the Wildlife Restoration Program… funded by your purchase of shooting and hunting equipment.

For Texas Parks and Wildlife…I’m Cecilia Nasti.
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Find information about the Cowbird Trapping Program when you click here.

Brown-headed Cowbird, Part 2 Play Now | Play in Popup | Download

Passport to Texas from Texas Parks and Wildlife and the Wildlife Restoration Program

The brown-headed cowbird migrated with bison across the Great Plains. Because it’s hard to raise a family on the road, cowbirds laid their eggs in other nests; host birds unwittingly raised their young.

The problem with the cowbird eggs is that normally they’re big eggs; they hatch earlier than the host eggs do; and they’re very vocal and hungry and beg for food.

Biologist, Marsha May, says the cowbird hatchlings starve out and kick out the host’s offspring, putting a dent in the population of that species. Back when bison roamed, cowbirds didn’t have quite the same impact.

Black-capped vireos, which are an endangered species now, evolved where if they were parasitized by a brown-headed cowbird, they would leave that nest and re-nest – start a new nest. Well, if the cowbirds had already moved through, that would have worked.

Without bison, cowbirds hang with cows. Because cows are fenced in and don’t migrate, neither do cowbirds.

They’re parasitizing all the birds in that area – their nests – and they’re having a major impact on some species like the black capped vireo, because the black-capped vireo keeps re-nesting and that’s wasting a lot of energy, and if it’s constantly being parasitized, then no young will be reproduced at all that year.

We’ll have more on cowbirds tomorrow.

That’s our show… we receive support from the Wildlife restoration Program… funded by your purchase of fishing and hunting equipment and motor boat fuels.

For Texas Parks and Wildlife…I’m Cecilia Nasti.

Brown-headed Cowbird, Part 1 Play Now | Play in Popup | Download

Passport to Texas from Texas Parks and Wildlife and the Wildlife Restoration Program

It may be October, but the November issue of Texas Parks and Wildlife magazine is available for your reading pleasure now.

Managing Editor, Louie Bond, highlights a couple of stories that you won’t want to miss.

In our November issue we say good-bye to Lady Bird Johnson who, of course, was a great friend to Texas Parks and Wildlife. And we have a poignant essay by Barbara Rodriguez, who felt like so many of us that she lost a member of the family when Lady Bird passed away.

They say that last year was a bust, but this year with all the rain – it’s pretty optimistic. So, quail hunters have every reason to be quite happy and looking forward to quail season.

The November issue of Texas Parks and Wildlife magazine is on newsstands now.

That’s our show for today… with support from the Wildlife restoration program…working to increase shooting and hunting opportunities in Texas…

For Texas Parks and Wildlife…I’m Cecilia Nasti.

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Passport to Texas Outdoor Stories from Texas Parks and Wildlife

Some of Kate Lipinski’s earliest memories are of camping trips in northern Wisconsin with her family. She said they would spend a week in the north woods, paddling and living in a rustic cabin.

And I’d never done any real camping until I was about twelve.

The sunset was still going on, on the other side of the sky, and it was perfect. And we were just watching this storm roll in. That’s when I realized that it was all worth it. Even if you have to hike tons of miles, and you’re really tired and you’re really sweaty, there’s always a reward when you go out in nature. There’s always something that you can get out of it.

Thanks, Kate. By the way, Kate is Passport’s new intern, and we’re delighted to have her here.

That’s our show for today…remember Life is Better Outside…For Texas Parks and Wildlife…I’m Cecilia Nasti.

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Passport to Texas from Texas Parks and Wildlife

[Woody Woodpecker laughter]

Woodpecker damage to your home is no laughing matter.

As a rule woodpeckers excavate cavities in dead trees called snags, which they live in. The exception is when they mistake dark colored, or cedar house siding, for a snag and end up leaving a trail of destruction.

And it looks like cannon balls have been shot through the house. Maybe two or three; and we’ve seen some with fifteen, sixteen holes.

Cliff Shackelford is a non-game ornithologist. He says woodpecker damage occurs most often in urban and suburban areas where the dead wood has been removed.

What we recommend people to do with problems with woodpeckers is to put a nest box. If you’re familiar with a bluebird box, it’s just a larger version of that custom made for woodpeckers.

Visit passporttotexas.org for a link to free blueprints to make your own woodpecker nest box.

People can build this in a couple of hours on the weekend, and put it up on the side of the house, and in all cases that we’ve done this – it’s worked. And the woodpecker stops chiseling on the home, and goes to this next box, and is very content.

That’s our show for today… Remember: Life’s Better Outside…For Texas Parks and Wildlife…I’m Cecilia Nasti.
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Click on this link to take you to woodpecker house plans.
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