Shiny Cowbird and Yellow Warbler

Juvenile Shiny Cowbird with Yellow Warbler

Shiny Cowbirds (Molothrus bonariensis) are brood parasites, that is, a bird that lays its eggs in the nests of other birds leaving them to rear their young. On the island, the most common host for cowbirds are Carib Grackles (Quiscalus lugubris). It is so common to see grackles caring for juvenile Cowbirds, that most persons thought that these brownish birds were how juvenile grackles looked*.  Other more uncommon suitors are Barbados Billfinchs (Loxigilla barbadensis) and Yellow Warblers (Dendroica petechia).  While I have seen the latter once or twice I have never been able to document it with images, until now.
On July 12th, as I was driving through the agricultural area of Golden Grove, St. Philip, I heard the loud and persistent calling of a bird, so I stopped and investigated. 

Yellow Warbler in Flamboyant tree

The call was coming from a Flamboyant tree (Delonix regia) and straight away I saw the Yellow Warbler busily searching for food among the leaves and flowers of the flowering tree, but it was not the source of the call. A Caribbean Eleana (Elaenia martinica) was also sitting quietly on a branch, but partially hidden among the leaves and branches was the source of the call, a juvenile Shiny Cowbird.  How one small bird created such a racket, was beyond me. The crying only paused briefly when the surrogate parent pacified it with a bite but then the begging recommenced.  The Yellow Warbler was busy!  seemingly unable to satisfied the voracious appetites of the larger youngster. 

Yellow Warbler feeding Shiny Cowbird

It flew to another location, a small River Tamarind or Mimosoid tree (Leucaena leucocephala), which is always a good source of caterpillars.  The Yellow fed her charge once and then flew off into the nearby shrubbery.  

It was an interesting and rare sighting, one I hope would remain uncommon, as I am unsure of this species ability to survive a major parasitic incursion from these brood parasites.   

 * Unlike juvenile Carib Grackles in most of the Lesser Antillean island, which is brown, the ones in Barbados are black.