Example of Commensalism

A well-known example of commensal symbiosis in nature is the relationship between cattle and cattle egrets. 

Cattle egrets are birds that eat insects such as flies that cattle are attracted to when they graze. Cattle egrets follow cows and use the animal’s movements to stir up insects, making them easier to catch and eat. In this regard, cattle egrets benefit from the presence of livestock as they provide a rich food source in the form of insects. 

However, cattle are unaffected by the presence of cattle egrets and are neither benefited nor harmed as a result of the relationship. This relationship can have positive effects on both types. For cattle egrets, the abundant food provided by cattle helps improve survival and reproduction making the experience more enjoyable.

In some cases, the relationship between cattle and cattle egrets can be more complicated, with cattle egrets providing the cattle with additional benefits such as: helping to control tick populations that can transmit diseases that may affect the livestock. This highlights the dynamic nature of interspecies relationships and how they change over time. Overall, the relationship between cattle and cattle egrets is a clear example of commensal symbiosis, with some species benefiting from the association and others not.

A commensal symbiosis is a symbiotic relationship between two species in which one species benefits from association, while the other species neither benefits nor harms.