Well, that was a strange enough sight. We were driving north into Oregon for the holiday weekend, and stopped for a few moments at the Dean Creek Elk Viewing Area on the Umpqua River near Reedsport. The Roosevelt Elk were there in fair numbers, but one seemed to have some black warts or something (picture below). They turned out to be birds.
At the distance it was hard to tell the species, but I suspect they were Brewer's Blackbirds (
Euphagus cyanocephalus). The
Cornell Bird Site does mention that they will pick bugs off the backs of livestock, but it is possible that they are Brown-headed Cowbirds (Molothrus ater). I welcome corrections; both species are reported from this location.
As is usually the case, the elk didn't seem to mind having birds walking around on their backs and hindquarters. If the birds were after ticks and that kind of pest, it would be a relief to have the birds working hard to remove them. Still, it was an odd sight.
The Dean Creek Elk Viewing Area is on Highway 38 just two or three miles upstream from the town of Reedsport. Parking is free.
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