20th Annual Smithsonian Magazine Photo Contest Natural World
Flight buddies

Here you see two brown pelicans keeping company with a double-crested cormorant. Brown pelicans aren't native to Maryland, until recently when they started nesting north of their normal range, on islands in the Chesapeake Bay. I was surprised to see how often the cormorants were found with the pelicans, still able to keep up with what is a larger bird.

Photo Detail
Date Taken: 09.2022
Date Uploaded: 11.2022
Photo Location: Smith Island, Maryland, United States of America
Camera: NIKON D500
Copyright: © Colleen McCloskey