A blackbird that was smaller than a crow, and typically skinnier than the red-winged blackbirds in the area. Most distinguishable by its dark brown head when close enough to distinguish the dark brown head from its black body. Its call was one note of a long high and rising tone that sounded similar to a human whistling doing the same.
Wetland prairie habitat adjacent to lake washington, and riddled with shrubs, willows, invasive cottonwoods, and pools of water. Cowbird was cited is a shrub on the shore of one of the ponds.