fbpx Q. I found an odd egg in a cardinal nest. I suspect it is a Brown-headed Cowbird. Can I destroy the egg? | Backyard Bird Center

Q. I found an odd egg in a cardinal nest. I suspect it is a Brown-headed Cowbird. Can I destroy the egg?

I understand the frustration and dislike of cowbird’s egg dumping technique, but the answer is still “NO”. Brown-headed Cowbirds are a federally protected species like all native songbirds. The only three species you can “kill” without fear of prosecution are the House Sparrow, European Starling and the Rock Pigeon. Destroying an egg is the same as killing a bird in the eyes of the Migratory Bird Treaty Act

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