Photo © Glenda Simmons

Nestwatch Blog: "changeling"

On Cowbirds and Changelings: is there more to the lore?

How did the bizarre folklore of the “changeling” child first enter European literature? Could an avian reproductive strategy called “brood parasitism” have served as inspiration? This week, we explore the origins of this fanciful myth by examining real-life changelings (i.e., cowbirds and cuckoos).