18th Annual Smithsonian Magazine Photo Contest Natural World
A case of Kleptoparasitism

As an Elegant Tern came in with a fish catch a Heermans Gull would violently attack the much smaller Tern biting its neck, causing the Tern to drop it's catch so the Gull could steal it. In this shot the tern tried to get its fish back. It was both an exciting and very violent behavior that we did not see anywhere else on the island except for this spot with two particular Gulls. The more time we spend in the wild we continue to be amazed by Nature's Way.

Photo Detail
Date Taken: 03.2018
Date Uploaded: 11.2020
Photo Location: Isla Rasa, Baja, Mexico
Camera: NIKON D5
Copyright: © Bill Klipp