Get Off My Back -- Roosevelt Elk and Brown-Headed Cowbird in Redwood National Park, California
by Darin Volpe
Title
Get Off My Back -- Roosevelt Elk and Brown-Headed Cowbird in Redwood National Park, California
Artist
Darin Volpe
Medium
Photograph - Photography
Description
This little cowbird picked out a a cozy spot to wait for a meal, but the Roosevelt elk it hitched a ride on would most definitely prefer it went away.
As large animals graze in meadows, they stir up insects from the grasses. Cowbirds take advantage by riding on the animal's back and waiting for those insects to fly and become an easy meal. This activity wasn't appreciated by this Roosevelt Elk in Redwood National Park. Each time the bird would land on his back, he'd reach around and send it off, only to have it land again for another round.
Uploaded
December 16th, 2023
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Comments (3)
Larry Kniskern
Congratulations, Darin – your stunning scene has been selected as an Honorable Mention from the Go Take a Hike Photography Group’s Big and Small Wildlife photo contest! It has been placed in the Special Recognition thread in the group discussion board for archive.