18th Annual Smithsonian Magazine Photo Contest Natural World
A Nest of Trash

Amsterdam, the Netherlands, is a densely populated city that is filled with canals. One of the most commonly seen animals in the city is the Eurasian Coot, who gladly call the canals their home. In one particular area in the city center, a floating wooden platform with a metal frame has a small sign that reads "meerkoet broedplaats," or "Coot Nesting Place." Every year, a pair of coots build their nest on this platform that was provided for them. They collect whatever suitable materials they find floating along the canals - which, unfortunately, often includes trash. In this case you can also see that an egg has fallen off of the nest - though it's unclear if this happened accidentally, or if the parents rejected the egg.

Photo Detail
Date Taken: 03.2019
Date Uploaded: 11.2020
Photo Location: Amsterdam, Netherlands
Copyright: © Adri Pendleton