14th Annual Smithsonian Magazine Photo Contest Natural World
Pintail Whydah and Hitchhiking Baby Hawk

The Pintail Whydah is aggressively defending the food bowl while a baby hawk catches a ride on its parent's wing. The Whydah has exceptionally long tail feathers and is rarely seen in the wild. The Whydah and the hawk would occasionally spar.

Photo Detail
Date Taken: 08.2015
Date Uploaded: 11.2016
Photo Location: Laguna Woods, California, United States of America
Copyright: © Kathleen Elam