White Pelican (Pelecanus erythrorhynchos) aggressing on double crested cormorant (Nannopterum auritum) during breeding season.
At Baum Lake in Shasta County, California, I frequently see double crested cormorants and white pelicans sunning themselves in groups on the same fallen tree or branch and getting along just swimmingly. However, on this particular late witner morning, as the breeding season for both approached they were getting a bit testy with each other! You can tell that these are breeding season birds by the tufts on the side of the cormorant’s head and the large triangular plate that is atop the pelican’s beak, which will fall off after the breeding season. To put in perspective just how large a white pelican is, consider that the cormorant is roughly the size of a chicken but with a much longer neck. The smart money was on the pelican and the cormorant wisely retreated a second after I captured this frame.
Size: 4682px × 3746px
Location: Shasta County, California, USA
Photo credit: © Mike Lee / Alamy / Afripics
License: Royalty Free
Model Released: No
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