Unlike most other bird species, the brown-headed cowbird (Molothrus ater) lays its eggs in the nests of other bird species and leaves the host to raise its young—a behavior known as brood parasitism. To become a successful adult, young cowbirds must eventually learn certain behaviors from their own species, including how to find food, mating behaviors, and how to protect themselves from predators. Brood parasitism leaves the young cowbirds without a role model to show them how to behave like their own species or where to find others like themselves to later join the adult flock.
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