Taxonomic status:

Species status: full species

Your sightings

Related taxa

Highlight taxa in a checklist (shown in red)
none American Ornithologists' Union 1st edition (1886) (v.1) American Ornithologists' Union 1st edition (incl. 1st suppl.) (v.1) American Ornithologists' Union 1st edition (incl. 2nd suppl.) (v.1) American Ornithologists' Union 1st edition (incl. 3rd suppl.) (v.1) American Ornithologists' Union 1st edition (incl. 4th suppl.) (v.1) American Ornithologists' Union 1st edition (incl. 5th suppl.) (v.1) American Ornithologists' Union 1st edition (incl. 6th suppl.) (v.1) American Ornithologists' Union 1st edition (incl. 7th suppl.) (v.1) American Ornithologists' Union 2nd edition (1895) (v.1) American Ornithologists' Union 2nd edition (incl. 8th suppl.) (v.1) American Ornithologists' Union 2nd edition (incl. 9th suppl.) (v.1) American Ornithologists' Union 2nd edition (incl. 10th suppl.) (v.1) American Ornithologists' Union 2nd edition (incl. 11th suppl.) (v.1) American Ornithologists' Union 2nd edition (incl. 12th suppl.) (v.1) American Ornithologists' Union 2nd edition (incl. 13th suppl.) (v.1) American Ornithologists' Union 2nd edition (incl. 14th suppl.) (v.1) American Ornithologists' Union 2nd edition (incl. 15th suppl.) (v.1) American Ornithologists' Union 3rd edition (1910) (v.1) American Ornithologists' Union 3rd edition (incl. 16th suppl.) (v.1) American Ornithologists' Union 3rd edition (incl. 17th suppl.) (v.1) American Ornithologists' Union 3rd edition (incl. 18th suppl.) (v.1) American Ornithologists' Union 4th edition (1931) (v.1) American Ornithologists' Union 4th edition (incl. 19th suppl.) (v.1) American Ornithologists' Union 4th edition (incl. 20th suppl.) (v.1) American Ornithologists' Union 4th edition (incl. 21st suppl.) (v.1) American Ornithologists' Union 4th edition (incl. 22nd suppl.) (v.1) American Ornithologists' Union 4th edition (incl. 23rd suppl.) (v.1) American Ornithologists' Union 4th edition (incl. 24th suppl.) (v.1) American Ornithologists' Union 4th edition (incl. 25th suppl.) (v.1) American Ornithologists' Union 4th edition (incl. 26th suppl.) (v.1) American Ornithologists' Union 4th edition (incl. 27th suppl.) (v.1) American Ornithologists' Union 4th edition (incl. 28th suppl.) (v.1) American Ornithologists' Union 4th edition (incl. 29th suppl.) (v.1) American Ornithologists' Union 4th edition (incl. 30th suppl.) (v.1) American Ornithologists' Union 4th edition (incl. 31st suppl.) (v.1) American Ornithologists' Union 5th edition (1957) (v.1) American Ornithologists' Union 5th edition (incl. 32nd suppl.) (v.1) American Ornithologists' Union 5th edition (incl. 33rd suppl.) (v.1) American Ornithologists' Union 5th edition (incl. 34th suppl.) (v.1) American Ornithologists' Union 6th edition (1983) (v.1) American Ornithologists' Union 6th edition (incl. 35th suppl.) (v.1) American Ornithologists' Union 6th edition (incl. 36th suppl.) (v.1) American Ornithologists' Union 6th edition (incl. 37th suppl.) (v.1) American Ornithologists' Union 6th edition (incl. 38th suppl.) (v.1) American Ornithologists' Union 6th edition (incl. 39th suppl.) (v.1) American Ornithologists' Union 6th edition (incl. 40th suppl.) (v.1) American Ornithologists' Union 6th edition (incl. 41st suppl.) (v.1) American Ornithologists' Union 7th edition (1998) (v.1) American Ornithologists' Union 7th edition (incl. 42nd suppl.) (v.1) American Ornithologists' Union 7th edition (incl. 43rd suppl.) (v.1) American Ornithologists' Union 7th edition (incl. 44th suppl.) (v.1) American Ornithologists' Union 7th edition (incl. 45th suppl.) (v.1) American Ornithologists' Union 7th edition (incl. 46th suppl.) (v.1) American Ornithologists' Union 7th edition (incl. 47th suppl.) (v.1) American Ornithologists' Union 7th edition (incl. 48th suppl.) (v.1) American Ornithologists' Union 7th edition (incl. 49th suppl.) (v.1) American Ornithologists' Union 7th edition (incl. 50th suppl.) (v.1) American Ornithologists' Union 7th edition (incl. 51st suppl.) (v.1) American Ornithologists' Union 7th edition (incl. 52nd suppl.) (v.1) American Ornithologists' Union 7th edition (incl. 53rd suppl.) (v.1) American Ornithologists' Union 7th edition (incl. 54th suppl.) (v.1) American Ornithologists' Union 7th edition (incl. 55th suppl.) (v.1) American Ornithologists' Union 7th edition (incl. 56th suppl.) (v.1) American Ornithologists' Union 7th edition (incl. 57th suppl.) (v.1) American Ornithologists' Society 7th edition (incl. 58th suppl.) (v.1) American Ornithologists' Society 7th edition (incl. 59th suppl.) (v.1) American Ornithologists' Society 7th edition (incl. 60th suppl.) (v.1) American Ornithologists' Society 7th edition (incl. 61st suppl.) (v.1) American Ornithologists' Society 7th edition (incl. 61st suppl. and addendum) (v.1) American Ornithologists' Society 7th edition (incl. 62nd suppl.) (v.1) American Ornithologists' Society 7th edition (incl. 63rd suppl.) (v.1) American Ornithologists' Society 7th edition (incl. 64th suppl.) (v.1) American Ornithologists' Society 7th edition (incl. 65th suppl.) (v.1) American Ornithologists' Society 7th edition (incl. 66th suppl.) (v.1) Avibase taxonomic concepts (current) (v.1) Avibase taxonomic concepts v. 2023 (May 2023) (v.1) Avibase taxonomic concepts v. 2024 (Oct 2024) (v.1) Avibase taxonomic concepts v. 2025 (Nov 2025) (v.1) Avibase taxonomic concepts v. 01 (August 2013) (v.1) Avibase taxonomic concepts v. 02 (May 2014) (v.1) Avibase taxonomic concepts v. 03 (March 2015) (v.1) Avibase taxonomic concepts v. 04 (Aug 2016) (v.1) Avibase taxonomic concepts v. 05 (Jan 2017) (v.1) Avibase taxonomic concepts v. 06 (Feb 2018) (v.1) Avibase taxonomic concepts v. 07 (Feb 2020) (v.1) Avibase taxonomic concepts v. 08 (Feb 2021) (v.1) Avilist 2025 (v.1) Birdlife checklist version 00 (v.1) Birdlife checklist version 01 (v.1) Birdlife checklist version 02 (v.1) Birdlife checklist version 03 (v.1) Birdlife checklist version 04 (v.1) Birdlife checklist version 05 (Jun 2012) (v.1) Birdlife checklist version 05.1 (Oct 2012) (v.1) Birdlife checklist version 06 (Nov 2013) (v.1) Birdlife checklist version 06.1 (Feb 2014) (v.1) Birdlife checklist version 07 (Jul 2014) (v.1) Birdlife checklist version 08 (Oct 2015) (v.1) Birdlife checklist version 09 (Dec 2016) (v.1) Birdlife checklist version 09.1 (Jun 2017) (v.1) HBW and BirdLife Taxonomic Checklist v2 (Dec 2017) (v.1) HBW and BirdLife Taxonomic Checklist v3 (Nov 2018) (v.1) HBW and BirdLife Taxonomic Checklist v4 (Dec 2019) (v.1) HBW and BirdLife Taxonomic Checklist v5 (Dec 2020) (v.1) HBW and BirdLife Taxonomic Checklist v6 (Dec 2021) (v.1) HBW and BirdLife Taxonomic Checklist v6b (Jul 2022) (v.1) HBW and BirdLife Taxonomic Checklist v7 (Dec 2022) (v.1) HBW and BirdLife Taxonomic Checklist v8 (Dec 2023) (v.1) HBW and BirdLife Taxonomic Checklist v9 (Oct 2024) (v.1) HBW and BirdLife Taxonomic Checklist v10 (Oct 2025) (v.1) British Ornithologists' Union Checklist (7th edition) (v.1) British Ornithologists' Union Checklist (7th edition, incl. Jan 2009 suppl.) (v.1) Commission internationale pour les noms français des oiseaux (1993, révision 2009) (v.1) Commission internationale pour les noms français des oiseaux (1993) (v.1) Clements 1st edition (v.1) Clements, version 2021 (v.1) Clements, version 2022 (v.1) Clements, version 2023 (v.1) Clements, version 2024 (v.1) Clements, version 2025 (v.1) Clements 3rd edition (v.1) Clements 4th edition (v.1) Clements 5th edition (as published) (v.1) Clements 5th edition (incl. 2000 revisions) (v.1) Clements 5th edition (incl. 2001 revisions) (v.1) Clements 5th edition (incl. 2002 revisions) (v.1) Clements 5th edition (incl. 2003 revisions) (v.1) Clements 5th edition (incl. 2004 revisions) (v.1) Clements 5th edition (incl. 2005 revisions) (v.1) Clements 6th edition (v.1) Clements 6th edition (incl. 2007 revisions) (v.1) Clements 6th edition (incl. 2008 revisions) (v.1) Clements 6th edition (incl. 2009 revisions) (v.1) Clements 6th edition (version 6.5 incl. 2010 revisions) (v.1) Clements 6th edition (version 6.6 incl. 2011 revisions) (v.1) Clements 6th edition (version 6.7 incl. 2012 revisions) (v.1) Clements 6th edition (version 6.8 incl. 2013 revisions) (v.1) Clements 6th edition (version 6.9 incl. 2014 revisions) (v.1) Clements, version 2015 (v.1) Clements, version 2016 (v.1) Clements, version 2017 (v.1) Clements, version 2018 (v.1) Clements, version 2019 (v.1) eBird version 1.50 (v.1) eBird version 1.52 (v.1) eBird version 1.53 (v.1) eBird version 1.54 (v.1) eBird version 1.55 (v.1) eBird version 2015 (v.1) eBird version 2016 (v.1) eBird version 2017 (v.1) eBird version 2018 (v.1) eBird version 2019 (v.1) eBird version 2021 (v.1) eBird version 2022 (v.1) eBird version 2023 (v.1) eBird version 2024 (v.1) eBird version 2025 (v.1) Howard and Moore 2nd edition (v.1) Howard and Moore 2nd edition (incl. ? suppl) (v.1) Howard and Moore 3rd edition (as published) (v.1) Howard and Moore 3rd edition (incl. corrigenda 1.2) (v.1) Howard and Moore 3rd edition (incl. corrigenda 2.1) (v.1) Howard and Moore 3rd edition (incl. corrigenda 3.1) (v.1) Howard and Moore 3rd edition (incl. corrigenda 4) (v.1) Howard and Moore 3rd edition (incl. corrigenda 5) (v.1) Howard and Moore 3rd edition (incl. corrigenda 6) (v.1) Howard and Moore 3rd edition (incl. corrigenda 7) (v.1) Howard and Moore 3rd edition (incl. corrigenda 8) (v.1) Howard and Moore 4th edition (vol. 1-2) (v.1) Howard and Moore 4th edition (incl. corrigenda vol.1-2) (v.1) Handbook of the Birds of the World (vol 1-16) (v.1) Handbook of the Birds of the World Alive (31/01/2015) (v.1) Handbook of the Birds of the World Alive (03/07/2017) (v.1) Handbook of the Birds of the World and Birdlife (Dec 2017) (v.1) Handbook of the Birds of the World and Birdlife (Dec 2018) (v.1) IOC World Bird Names, version 1.0 (v.1) IOC World Bird Names, version 1.1 (v.1) IOC World Bird Names, version 1.5 (v.1) IOC World Bird Names, version 1.6 (v.1) IOC World Bird Names, version 1.7 (v.1) IOC World Bird Names, version 2.0 (v.1) IOC World Bird Names, version 2.1 (v.1) IOC World Bird Names, version 2.2 (v.1) IOC World Bird Names, version 2.3 (v.1) IOC World Bird Names, version 2.4 (v.1) IOC World Bird Names, version 2.5 (v.1) IOC World Bird Names, version 2.6 (v.1) IOC World Bird Names, version 2.7 (v.1) IOC World Bird Names, version 2.8 (v.1) IOC World Bird Names, version 2.9 (v.1) IOC World Bird Names, version 2.10 (v.1) IOC World Bird Names, version 2.11 (v.1) IOC World Bird Names, version 3.1 (v.1) IOC World Bird Names, version 3.2 (v.1) IOC World Bird Names, version 3.3 (v.1) IOC World Bird Names, version 3.4 (v.1) IOC World Bird Names, version 3.5 (v.1) IOC World Bird Names, version 4.1 (v.1) IOC World Bird Names, version 4.2 (v.1) IOC World Bird Names, version 4.3 (v.1) IOC World Bird Names, version 4.4 (v.1) IOC World Bird Names, version 5.1 (v.1) IOC World Bird Names, version 5.2 (v.1) IOC World Bird Names, version 5.3 (v.1) IOC World Bird Names, version 5.4 (v.1) IOC World Bird Names, version 6.1 (v.1) IOC World Bird Names, version 6.2 (v.1) IOC World Bird Names, version 6.3 (v.1) IOC World Bird Names, version 6.4 (v.1) IOC World Bird Names, version 7.1 (v.1) IOC World Bird Names, version 7.2 (v.1) IOC World Bird Names, version 7.3 (v.1) IOC World Bird Names, version 8.1 (v.1) IOC World Bird Names, version 8.2 (v.1) IOC World Bird Names, version 9.1 (v.1) IOC World Bird Names, version 9.2 (v.1) IOC World Bird Names, version 10.1 (v.1) IOC World Bird Names, version 10.2 (v.1) IOC World Bird Names, version 11.1 (v.1) IOC World Bird Names, version 11.2 (v.1) IOC World Bird Names, version 12.1 (v.1) IOC World Bird Names, version 12.2 (v.1) IOC World Bird Names, version 13.1 (v.1) IOC World Bird Names, version 13.2 (v.1) IOC World Bird Names, version 14.1 (v.1) IOC World Bird Names, version 14.2 (v.1) IOC World Bird Names, version 15.1 (v.1) IOC World Bird Names, version 15.2 (v.1) Morony, Bock and Farrand (v.1) Peters' Check-list of the Birds (v.1) Peters' Check-list of the Birds (original) (v.1) Peters' Check-list of the Birds (2nd edition) (v.1) Sibley and Monroe (1993) (v.1) Sibley and Monroe (1993, including corrections up to 1998) (v.1) Sibley and Monroe, Birds of the World Version 2.0 (v.1) Zoonomen - Zoological Nomenclature Resource (v.1) Zoonomen - Zoological Nomenclature Resource (v.1)

Other related concepts

• Agelaioides badius x Molothrus ater (hybrid)
• Molothrus [aeneus or ater] (taxon group)
• Molothrus [bonariensis or ater] (taxon group)

Other synonyms

See also the taxonomic synonyms table.

Azerbaijani: inəkquşu
Bulgarian: Черна краварка
Catalan: vaquer de cap bru
Czech: Vlhovec hnedohlavý, vlhovec hnědohlavý
Welsh: Aderyn gwartheg penfrown
Danish: Brunhovedet Kostær
German: Braunkopf-Keidenkuhstärling, Braunkopfkuhstärling, Braunkopf-Kuhstärling, Kuhstärling, Maskenkuhstarling, Nordamerikanische Kuhstärling
Greek: Κασταvoκέφαλo μαυρoπoύλι, Κοινό Γελαδοπούλι
English: Brown-headed Cowbird, California Cowbird, Common Cowbird, cow, Cow Blackbird, Cow Bunting, Cowbird, Cow-pen bird, Dwarf Cowbird, Eastern Cowbird, Nevada Cowbird
English (Avilist): Brown-headed Cowbird
English, HBW: Brown-headed Cowbird
English (IOC): Brown-headed Cowbird
English (United States): Brown-headed Cowbird
Esperanto: brunkapa boviktero, Brunkapa molotro, Brunkapa trupialo
Spanish: Tordo cabecicafé, Tordo Cabecipardo, Tordo Cabeza Café, Tordo-cuco Canadiense, Vaquero Cabecicafé, Vaquero de Cabeza Castaña
Spanish (Cuba): Pájaro vaquero de cabeza carmelita, Totí americano
Spanish (Spain): Tordo Cabecipardo
Spanish (HBW): Tordo cabecipardo
Spanish (Mexico): Tordo cabecicafé, tordo cabeza café, Vaquero Cabecicafé
Spanish (Panama): Vaquero Cabecipardo
Estonian: piisoniturpial
Finnish: Lehmäturpiaali
French: Molothre à tête noire, Vacher à tête brune
French (Guyane): Vacher à tête brune
Irish: Lon bó
Galician: Iraúna mulata
Hebrew: שחרורית חומת-ראש
Croatian: smeđoglavi čvorkaš
Hungarian: barnafejű gulyajáró
Icelandic: Kúastarli
Italian: Molotro testabruna, Vaccaro testabruna
Japanese (romaji): kouuchou
Japanese: コウウチョウ
Scientific: Emberiza pecoris, Fringilla pecoris, Icterus pecoris, Molothrus ater, Molothrus ater ater, Molothrus pecoris, Oriolus ater
Lithuanian: Rudagalvis karvapaukštis, Rudagalvis karviaganis
Latvian: brūngalvas govjputns
Macedonian: Црна краварка
Dutch: Bruinkopkoevogel, Bruinkop-koevogel
Norwegian Nynorsk: Brunhovudtrupial
Norwegian: Brunhodetrupial
Polish: starzyk brunatnoglowy, starzyk brunatnogłowy
Portuguese: Chopim-mulato
Portuguese (Portugal): Chopim-mulato, vaqueiro-de-cabeça-castanha
Romanian: Trupial negru de cireadă
Russian: Буроголовая воловья птица, буроголовый коровий трупиал, Буроголовый прупиал, Коровий трупиал, буроголовый желтушник
Northern Sami: Ruškesoaitrupiála
Slovak: Trupiálovec čierny, zanášac cierny, zanášač čierny
Slovenian: rjavoglavi kravar
Serbian: Crna kravarica
Swedish: Brunhuvad kostare
Turkish: boz başlı inekkuşu, Boz Başlı İnekkuşu, Boz-başlı İnekkuşu
Ukrainian: Вашер буроголовий
Chinese: 褐头牛鹂
Chinese (Traditional): 褐頭牛鸝