Birdland

Ride ‘Em, Cowboy

You probably won’t see any Cattle Egrets flaunting their impressive yellow plumes at the National Western Stock Show – Denver’s annual tradition that begins on Jan. 7 this year. But outside, in pastures and fields, these small, white birds and cattle share a special symbiotic relationship. The egrets follow behind cattle, eating up the grasshoppers that are stirred up by the trampling hooves. Or, they ride on the backs of cows and buffalo, picking off annoying ticks and flies that tend to bother the large animals. This Western Cattle Egret was photographed by Park Hill resident Mark Silverstein.