McBride Photographer Sandra James snapped this photo of a brown-headed cowbird riding a horse in a field off Hwy 16 near Beaverview Campground, near her daily walking route. She said the cowbird actually stayed on the horse’s back for a couple of minutes while the horse was standing there and while it walked away before deciding to fly off. Cowbirds have an unusual way of rearing their young—females lay their eggs in the nests of other birds, abandoning their young to foster parents, usually at the expense of some of the host’s chicks. This allows the cowbird to put all their energy into producing eggs. /SANDRA JAMES The cowbird on the horse. /SANDRA JAMES
