Smithsonian magazine's 22nd Annual Photo Contest | Made possible through the support of MPB.com

21st Annual Smithsonian Magazine Photo Contest Natural World
Waking the Sleeping Giant

A blue-gray gnatcatcher buzzes a very sleepy great horned owl in an attempt to drive the owl away. The gnatcatcher had a nest with nestlings nearby and in-between bouts of provisioning the chicks, the gnatcatcher would dive-bomb the owl. The owl had its own fledgling nearby and seemed exhausted from the previous night's activities. Unfortunately for the gnatcatcher, it was no more of a bother to the owl than a gnat...

Photo Detail
Date Taken: 05.2023
Date Uploaded: 11.2023
Photo Location: Crawfordville, Florida, United States of America
Camera: Canon EOS-1D X Mark II
Copyright: © Loren Merrill