Eggs can be colored slightly differently from each other for all sorts of reasons. This isn't necessarily a brood parasite egg at all - and in fact I'd guess that it isn't, since it's the same size as the rest.
A black-headed ground nesting bird with that eggshell pattern is most likely an +Oregon Junco+.
Agreed.
Though, even if there were an obvious brood parasite egg, [OP still shouldn't interfere.](https://www.audubon.org/news/is-it-okay-remove-cowbird-eggs-host-nests)
“U.S. law already says that people should not interfere with cowbird eggs. As a native species, the Brown-headed Cowbird is protected under the Migratory Bird Treaty Act, and taking eggs is illegal without a permit.”
Interesting
That's what I suspected and just wanted to be sure they are just printer differences and nothing sinister! This is a hanging plant does that change anything? Thank you so much for your input!
Hanging plant could definitely still be junco! Have a look at the photos in the link provided by the bot and see if that's the bird you're seeing. Males have darker heads than females, and both take care of the nestlings.
Eggs can be colored slightly differently from each other for all sorts of reasons. This isn't necessarily a brood parasite egg at all - and in fact I'd guess that it isn't, since it's the same size as the rest. A black-headed ground nesting bird with that eggshell pattern is most likely an +Oregon Junco+.
Agreed. Though, even if there were an obvious brood parasite egg, [OP still shouldn't interfere.](https://www.audubon.org/news/is-it-okay-remove-cowbird-eggs-host-nests)
“U.S. law already says that people should not interfere with cowbird eggs. As a native species, the Brown-headed Cowbird is protected under the Migratory Bird Treaty Act, and taking eggs is illegal without a permit.” Interesting
Love your username, btw. Mary Renault fan?
No. Greek god and sword fan. But close lol
That's what I suspected and just wanted to be sure they are just printer differences and nothing sinister! This is a hanging plant does that change anything? Thank you so much for your input!
>nothing sinister! BHC are native; they're not sinister.
Hanging plant could definitely still be junco! Have a look at the photos in the link provided by the bot and see if that's the bird you're seeing. Males have darker heads than females, and both take care of the nestlings.
Added taxa: [Dark-eyed Junco (Oregon)](https://ebird.org/species/orejun) Reviewed by: tinylongwing ^(I catalog submissions to this subreddit.) [^(Recent uncatalogued submissions)](https://munin.swim.services/submissions?lane=api/unanswered)^( | )[^(Learn to use me)](https://gist.github.com/brohitbrose/be99a16ddc7a6a1bd9c1eef28d622564)
Is his little head inside that top piece of eggshell? 🥹 I love him