White pelicans form a line while swimming in the turn basin near the Vehicle Assembly Building of NASA's Kennedy Space Center. The turn basin was carved out of the Banana River when Kennedy Space Center was built. White pelicans winter from Florida and southern California to Panama, chiefly in coastal lagoons, and usually in colonies. KSC shares a boundary with the Merritt Island Wildlife Nature Refuge. The refuge is a habitat for more than 310 species of birds, 25 mammals, 117 fishes and 65 amphibians and reptiles. In addition, the Refuge supports 19 endangered or threatened wildlife species on Federal or State lists, more than any other single refuge in the U.S.

White pelicans gather in the turn basin near the Vehicle Assembly Building of NASA's Kennedy Space Center. The turn basin was carved out of the Banana River when Kennedy Space Center was built. White pelicans winter from Florida and southern California to Panama, chiefly in coastal lagoons, and usually in colonies. KSC shares a boundary with the Merritt Island Wildlife Nature Refuge. The refuge is a habitat for more than 310 species of birds, 25 mammals, 117 fishes and 65 amphibians and reptiles. In addition, the Refuge supports 19 endangered or threatened wildlife species on Federal or State lists, more than any other single refuge in the U.S.

A pair of brown pelicans rest on a wall near the turn basin at NASA's Kennedy Space Center. The turn basin was carved out of the Banana River when KSC was built. The birds' habitat is sandy coastal beaches and lagoons, ranging along the Atlantic Coast from North Carolina south to Venezuela. It nests in colonies. KSC shares a boundary with the Merritt Island Wildlife Nature Refuge. The refuge is a habitat for more than 310 species of birds, 25 mammals, 117 fishes and 65 amphibians and reptiles. In addition, the Refuge supports 19 endangered or threatened wildlife species on Federal or State lists, more than any other single refuge in the U.S.

CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. – A pelican is silhouetted against the rosy dawn sky as morning fog floats over the turn basin at NASA's Kennedy Space Center in Florida. Kennedy is surrounded by water: the Banana River, Banana Creek, Indian River Lagoon and the Atlantic Ocean, all of which provide scenes of beauty and nature that contrast with the high technology and power of the center. Photo credit: NASA/Ben Smegelsky

CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. – Rising higher in the morning sky, the sun puts a glow on the fog rising from the turn basin at NASA's Kennedy Space Center in Florida. A pelican has a front row seat for the spectacle. Kennedy is surrounded by water: the Banana River, Banana Creek, Indian River Lagoon and the Atlantic Ocean, all of which provide scenes of beauty and nature that contrast with the high technology and power of the center. Photo credit: NASA/Ben Smegelsky

CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. – The fog clears from the turn basin as the morning sky turns blue over NASA's Kennedy Space Center in Florida. A pelican has a front row seat for the spectacle. Kennedy is surrounded by water: the Banana River, Banana Creek, Indian River Lagoon and the Atlantic Ocean, all of which provide scenes of beauty and nature that contrast with the high technology and power of the center. Photo credit: NASA/Ben Smegelsky

CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. – The high-fidelity space shuttle model glides past the fishing pier – and this long-beaked fisherman -- near the mouth of Port Canaveral as it heads into the Atlantic Ocean, in the distance. The model is en route by barge from NASA’s Kennedy Space Center in Florida to Space Center Houston, NASA Johnson Space Center’s official visitor center. Its journey to Texas will take it south along the Florida coastline, around Key West and into the Gulf of Mexico. The model was built in Apopka, Fla., by Guard-Lee and installed at the Kennedy Space Center Visitor Complex in 1993. The model is expected to arrive June 1 in Houston and to be transported June 3 to Space Center Houston, its final destination, where it will become part of a unique display telling the story of the space shuttle’s achievements and the nationwide team that made them possible. For more information about Space Center Houston, visit http://www.spacecenter.org. Photo credit: NASA/Dimitri Gerondidakis

KENNEDY SPACE CENTER, FLA. -- A group of white pelicans spend a few moments relaxing in the water near the Vehicle Assembly Building at Kennedy Space Center. Found from British Columbia south to western Ontario, California and the Texas coast, white pelicans winter from Florida south to Panama. They prefer marshy lakes and coastal regions, and winter chiefly in coastal lagoons. White pelicans are one of 310 species of birds that inhabit the Merritt Island National Wildlife Refuge, which shares a boundary with KSC. The marshes and open water of the refuge also provide wintering areas for 23 species of migratory waterfowl, as well as a year-round home for great blue herons, great egrets, wood storks, cormorants, brown pelicans and other species of marsh and shore birds.

CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. –– The scarlet-feathered roseate spoonbill wades through water on NASA's Kennedy Space Center in Florida. Spoonbills inhabit areas of mangrove such as on the coasts of southern Florida and Texas. These birds feed on shrimps and fish in the shallow water, sweeping their bills from side to side. This and other wildlife abound throughout Kennedy as the center shares a boundary with the Merritt Island National Wildlife Refuge. Photo credit: NASA/Dimitri Gerondidakis

CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. – The sun rising over the Launch Complex 39 Area turn basin at NASA's Kennedy Space Center in Florida casts a brilliant flame in the water. At right is the U.S. flag on the grounds of the NASA News Center. Kennedy is surrounded by water: the Banana River, Banana Creek, Indian River Lagoon and the Atlantic Ocean, all of which provide scenes of beauty and nature that contrast with the high technology and power of the center. Photo credit: NASA/Ben Smegelsky

KSC WILDLIFE - PELICANS IN THE LC39 TURN BASIN

KSC WILDLIFE - PELICANS IN THE LC39 TURN BASIN

KSC WILDLIFE - PELICANS IN THE LC39 TURN BASIN

KENNEDY SPACE CENTER, FLA. -- White pelicans are joined by a few egrets at a feeding frenzy in the waters of the Merritt Island National Wildlife Refuge, which shares a boundary with Kennedy Space Center. Pelicans in flight display their black wing tips, which are hidden when folded. The habitat of white pelicans are marshy lakes along the Pacific and Texas coasts, wintering chiefly in coastal lagoons such as this one. They often capture fish cooperatively, forming a long line, beating their wings and driving the prey into shallow water. The 92,000-acre refuge is a habitat for more than 310 species of birds, 25 mammals, 117 fishes and 65 amphibians and reptiles. The marshes and open water of the refuge also provide wintering areas for 23 species of migratory waterfowl, as well as a year-round home for great blue herons, great egrets, wood storks, cormorants, brown pelicans and other species of marsh and shore birds

CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. -- Brown pelicans gather on the wharf of the Launch Complex 39 turn basin at NASA's Kennedy Space Center in Florida. The brown pelican is found along ocean shores and not on inland lakes. It is the only dark pelican, and also the only one that plunges from the air into the water to catch its food. It ranges along the Atlantic Coast from North Carolina south to Venezuela; on the Pacific Coast from British Columbia to Chile. Brown pelicans are a common sight at Kennedy. The center shares a boundary with the Merritt Island Wildlife Nature Refuge, which is a habitat for more than 310 species of birds, 25 mammals, 117 fishes and 65 amphibians and reptiles. Photo credit: NASA/Jack Pfaller

CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. - A colony of brown pelicans takes advantage of a respite from winter temperatures to sun themselves along the edges of the Turn Basin in Launch Complex 39 at NASA's Kennedy Space Center in Florida. The brown pelican is found along the coast in California and from North Carolina to Texas, Mexico, the West Indies and many Caribbean Islands, as well as Guyana and Venezuela in South America. It is listed as endangered only in Louisiana, Mississippi, and in the Caribbean. The species is considered to be long-lived. One pelican captured in Edgewater, Fla., in November 1964, was found to have been banded in September 1933, over 31 years previously. Individuals can weigh up to eight pounds, with larger pelicans having wing spreads of over seven feet. Their nests are usually built in mangrove trees, but ground nesting may also occur. Nesting takes place mostly in early spring or summer with the male carrying nesting materials to the female. Although the female builds the nest, both share in incubation and rearing duties. The Merritt Island National Wildlife Refuge coexists with Kennedy Space Center and provides a habitat for 330 species of birds including brown pelicans. Photo credit: NASA/Jack Pfaller

CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. - Brown pelicans sun themselves along the edges of the Turn Basin in Launch Complex 39 at NASA's Kennedy Space Center in Florida. Docked nearby is the Pegasus barge, often enlisted to bring the space shuttle's external tanks to the basin. The brown pelican is found along the coast in California and from North Carolina to Texas, Mexico, the West Indies and many Caribbean Islands, as well as Guyana and Venezuela in South America. It is listed as endangered only in Louisiana, Mississippi, and in the Caribbean. The species is considered to be long-lived. One pelican captured in Edgewater, Fla., in November 1964, was found to have been banded in September 1933, over 31 years previously. Individuals can weigh up to eight pounds, with larger pelicans having wing spreads of over seven feet. Their nests are usually built in mangrove trees, but ground nesting may also occur. Nesting takes place mostly in early spring or summer with the male carrying nesting materials to the female. Although the female builds the nest, both share in incubation and rearing duties. The Merritt Island National Wildlife Refuge coexists with Kennedy Space Center and provides a habitat for 330 species of birds including brown pelicans. Photo credit: NASA/Jack Pfaller

CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. - Brown pelicans make unlikely companions for the Pegasus barge in the Turn Basin in Launch Complex 39 at NASA's Kennedy Space Center in Florida. The barge often transports the space shuttle's external tanks into the basin. The brown pelican is found along the coast in California and from North Carolina to Texas, Mexico, the West Indies and many Caribbean Islands, as well as Guyana and Venezuela in South America. It is listed as endangered only in Louisiana, Mississippi, and in the Caribbean. The species is considered to be long-lived. One pelican captured in Edgewater, Fla., in November 1964, was found to have been banded in September 1933, over 31 years previously. Individuals can weigh up to eight pounds, with larger pelicans having wing spreads of over seven feet. Their nests are usually built in mangrove trees, but ground nesting may also occur. Nesting takes place mostly in early spring or summer with the male carrying nesting materials to the female. Although the female builds the nest, both share in incubation and rearing duties. The Merritt Island National Wildlife Refuge coexists with Kennedy Space Center and provides a habitat for 330 species of birds including brown pelicans. Photo credit: NASA/Jack Pfaller

CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. - Brown pelicans enjoy a respite from the winter temperatures at the Turn Basin in Launch Complex 39 at NASA's Kennedy Space Center in Florida. Behind them is the Pegasus barge, often used to transport the space shuttle's external tanks into the basin, and NASA's News Center. The brown pelican is found along the coast in California and from North Carolina to Texas, Mexico, the West Indies and many Caribbean Islands, as well as Guyana and Venezuela in South America. It is listed as endangered only in Louisiana, Mississippi, and in the Caribbean. The species is considered to be long-lived. One pelican captured in Edgewater, Fla., in November 1964, was found to have been banded in September 1933, over 31 years previously. Individuals can weigh up to eight pounds, with larger pelicans having wing spreads of over seven feet. Their nests are usually built in mangrove trees, but ground nesting may also occur. Nesting takes place mostly in early spring or summer with the male carrying nesting materials to the female. Although the female builds the nest, both share in incubation and rearing duties. The Merritt Island National Wildlife Refuge coexists with Kennedy Space Center and provides a habitat for 330 species of birds including brown pelicans. Photo credit: NASA/Jack Pfaller

A white pelican named "Fisheater" by its rescuers, beats its wings as it flies to freedom at the Merritt Island National Wildlife Refuge. The pelican was found covered in crude oil from a contaminated ditch in northern Indiana in November, and was rescued by a local Police Department, treated, and flown to the Back to Nature Wildlife Refuge in Orlando, Fla. for care and rest. It is being released today to join a flock of about 30 other white pelicans that are wintering on the refuge. Before its release, however, Kat Royer, with the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, placed on it a leg band issued by the U.S. Department of the Interior's Bird Banding Laboratory. White pelicans inhabit marshy lakes and along the Pacific and Texas coasts. They winter from Florida and southern California south to Panama, chiefly in coastal lagoons. They are frequently seen flying in long lines, flapping and sailing in unison, but also ride rising air currents to soar gracefully in circles. The Merritt Island National Wildlife Refuge, which encompasses 92,000 acres that are a habitat for more than 331 species of birds, 31 mammals, 117 fishes, and 65 amphibians and reptiles. The marshes and open water of the refuge provide wintering areas for 23 species of migratory waterfowl, as well as a year-round home for great blue herons, great egrets, wood storks, cormorants, brown pelicans and other species of marsh and shore birds, as well as a variety of insects

CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. - A colony of brown pelicans enjoys a respite from the winter temperatures with a dip in the Turn Basin in Launch Complex 39 at NASA's Kennedy Space Center in Florida. The brown pelican is found along the coast in California and from North Carolina to Texas, Mexico, the West Indies and many Caribbean Islands, as well as Guyana and Venezuela in South America. It is listed as endangered only in Louisiana, Mississippi, and in the Caribbean. The species is considered to be long-lived. One pelican captured in Edgewater, Fla., in November 1964, was found to have been banded in September 1933, over 31 years previously. Individuals can weigh up to eight pounds, with larger pelicans having wing spreads of over seven feet. Their nests are usually built in mangrove trees, but ground nesting may also occur. Nesting takes place mostly in early spring or summer with the male carrying nesting materials to the female. Although the female builds the nest, both share in incubation and rearing duties. The Merritt Island National Wildlife Refuge coexists with Kennedy Space Center and provides a habitat for 330 species of birds including brown pelicans. Photo credit: NASA/Jack Pfaller

Under a rain-filled sky, Mark Epstein holds a rescued white pelican while Kat Royer fixes a leg band on it before releasing it at the Merritt Island National Wildlife Refuge. Epstein and Royer are with the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service. The bird was found covered in crude oil from a contaminated ditch in northern Indiana in November, and was rescued by a local Police Department, treated, and flown to the Back to Nature Wildlife Refuge in Orlando, Fla. for care and rest. The pelican, dubbed "Fisheater" by its rescuers, will be let go to join a flock of about 30 other white pelicans that are wintering on the refuge. White pelicans inhabit marshy lakes and along the Pacific and Texas coasts. They winter from Florida and southern California south to Panama, chiefly in coastal lagoons. They are frequently seen flying in long lines, flapping and sailing in unison, but also ride rising air currents to soar gracefully in circles. The Merritt Island National Wildlife Refuge, which encompasses 92,000 acres that are a habitat for more than 331 species of birds, 31 mammals, 117 fishes, and 65 amphibians and reptiles. The marshes and open water of the refuge provide wintering areas for 23 species of migratory waterfowl, as well as a year-round home for great blue herons, great egrets, wood storks, cormorants, brown pelicans and other species of marsh and shore birds, as well as a variety of insects

KENNEDY SPACE CENTER, FLA. -- White pelicans swim gracefully on the blue water of this lake near Kennedy Space Center. Found from British Columbia south to western Ontario, California and the Texas coast, White Pelicans winter from Florida south to Panama. They prefer marshy lakes and coastal regions, and winter chiefly in coastal lagoons

KENNEDY SPACE CENTER, FLA. - White pelicans approach for a landing near white herons in a lake north of Kennedy Space Center. Distinctive are the pelicans’ massive yellow bills and black wing tips. They winter from Florida and southern California south to Panama. The Center shares a boundary with the 92,000-acre Merritt Island National Wildlife Refuge, which is a habitat for more than 310 species of birds, 25 mammals, 117 fishes and 65 amphibians and reptiles. The marshes and open water of the refuge also provide wintering areas for 23 species of migratory waterfowl, as well as a year-round home for great blue herons, great egrets, wood storks, cormorants, brown pelicans and other species of marsh and shore birds.

KENNEDY SPACE CENTER, FLA. -- White pelicans soaring over the waters of the Merritt Island National Wildlife Refuge reveal the black wing feathers that are hidden when folded. The habitat of white pelicans are marshy lakes along the Pacific and Texas coasts, wintering chiefly in coastal lagoons such as this one. They often capture fish cooperatively, forming a long line, beating their wings and driving the prey into shallow water. The 92,000-acre refuge, which shares a boundary with Kennedy Space Center, is a habitat for more than 310 species of birds, 25 mammals, 117 fishes and 65 amphibians and reptiles. The marshes and open water of the refuge also provide wintering areas for 23 species of migratory waterfowl, as well as a year-round home for great blue herons, great egrets, wood storks, cormorants, brown pelicans and other species of marsh and shore birds

KENNEDY SPACE CENTER, FLA. -- White pelicans search for a meal in the waters of the Merritt Island National Wildlife Refuge, which shares a boundary with Kennedy Space Center. The habitat of white pelicans are marshy lakes along the Pacific and Texas coasts, wintering chiefly in coastal lagoons such as this one. They often capture fish cooperatively, forming a long line, beating their wings and driving the prey into shallow water. The 92,000-acre refuge is a habitat for more than 310 species of birds, 25 mammals, 117 fishes and 65 amphibians and reptiles. The marshes and open water of the refuge also provide wintering areas for 23 species of migratory waterfowl, as well as a year-round home for great blue herons, great egrets, wood storks, cormorants, brown pelicans and other species of marsh and shore birds

KENNEDY SPACE CENTER, FLA. -- A white pelican stretches its eight-foot wing span as it prepares for flight. The black wing feathers, hidden when folded, appear as shadows against the dappled waters of the Merritt Island National Wildlife Refuge. The habitat of white pelicans are marshy lakes along the Pacific and Texas coasts, wintering chiefly in coastal lagoons such as this one. They often capture fish cooperatively, forming a long line, beating their wings and driving the prey into shallow water. The 92,000-acre refuge, which shares a boundary with Kennedy Space Center, is a habitat for more than 310 species of birds, 25 mammals, 117 fishes and 65 amphibians and reptiles. The marshes and open water of the refuge also provide wintering areas for 23 species of migratory waterfowl, as well as a year-round home for great blue herons, great egrets, wood storks, cormorants, brown pelicans and other species of marsh and shore birds

KENNEDY SPACE CENTER, FLA. - White pelicans soar into the blue sky above a lake north of Kennedy Space Center. Distinctive are the pelicans’ massive yellow bills and black wing tips. They winter from Florida and southern California south to Panama. The Center shares a boundary with the 92,000-acre Merritt Island National Wildlife Refuge, which is a habitat for more than 310 species of birds, 25 mammals, 117 fishes and 65 amphibians and reptiles. The marshes and open water of the refuge also provide wintering areas for 23 species of migratory waterfowl, as well as a year-round home for great blue herons, great egrets, wood storks, cormorants, brown pelicans and other species of marsh and shore birds.

KENNEDY SPACE CENTER, FLA. - White pelicans swim in a lake north of Kennedy Space Center. In the distance, at right, is a great blue heron. White pelicans winter from Florida and southern California south to Panama. Great blue herons range across the breadth of the United States, as well as north to Alaska and Canada and south to Mexico and the West Indies. The Center shares a boundary north, south and west with the 92,000-acre Merritt Island National Wildlife Refuge, which is a habitat for more than 310 species of birds, 25 mammals, 117 fishes and 65 amphibians and reptiles. The marshes and open water of the refuge also provide wintering areas for 23 species of migratory waterfowl, as well as a year-round home for great blue herons, great egrets, wood storks, cormorants, brown pelicans and other species of marsh and shore birds.

Under a rain-filled sky, Mark Epstein, with the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, gets ready to release a rescued white pelican. At right is Kat Royer, also with the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, who has fixed on it a leg band issued by the U.S. Department of the Interior's Bird Banding Laboratory. In the background is Christine Wise who is involved with rescue and rehabilitation of Florida wild animals. Wise brought the pelican to the Merritt Island National Wildlife Refuge for its release. The bird was found covered in crude oil from a contaminated ditch in northern Indiana in November, and was rescued by a local Police Department, treated, and flown to the Back to Nature Wildlife Refuge in Orlando, Fla. for care and rest. The pelican, dubbed "Fisheater" by its rescuers, is being let go to join a flock of about 30 other white pelicans that are wintering on the refuge. White pelicans inhabit marshy lakes and along the Pacific and Texas coasts. They winter from Florida and southern California south to Panama, chiefly in coastal lagoons. They are frequently seen flying in long lines, flapping and sailing in unison, but also ride rising air currents to soar gracefully in circles. The Merritt Island National Wildlife Refuge, which encompasses 92,000 acres that are a habitat for more than 331 species of birds, 31 mammals, 117 fishes, and 65 amphibians and reptiles. The marshes and open water of the refuge provide wintering areas for 23 species of migratory waterfowl, as well as a year-round home for great blue herons, great egrets, wood storks, cormorants, brown pelicans and other species of marsh and shore birds, as well as a variety of insects

KENNEDY SPACE CENTER, FLA. -- The water in the turn basin, east of the Vehicle Assembly Building and next to the crawlerway, teems with fish and draws white pelicans, gray pelicans, cormorants, sea gulls and more looking for a meal. The turn basin is part of the Indian River Lagoon, composed of Mosquito Lagoon to the north, Banana River and Creek to the south and the Indian River to the west. The Indian River Lagoon has one of the most diverse bird populations anywhere in America. Also, nearly one-third of the nation's manatee population lives here or migrates through the lagoon seasonally. The lagoon varies in width from ½ mile to 5 miles and averages only 3 feet in depth

KENNEDY SPACE CENTER, FLA. - White pelicans feed in a lake north of Kennedy Space Center. In the background are white ibis. The Center shares a boundary with the 92,000-acre Merritt Island National Wildlife Refuge, which is a habitat for more than 310 species of birds, 25 mammals, 117 fishes and 65 amphibians and reptiles. The marshes and open water of the refuge also provide wintering areas for 23 species of migratory waterfowl, as well as a year-round home for great blue herons, great egrets, wood storks, cormorants, brown pelicans and other species of marsh and shore birds.

KENNEDY SPACE CENTER, FLA. - White pelicans feed in a lake north of Kennedy Space Center. In the background are white ibis and great white herons. The Center shares a boundary with the 92,000-acre Merritt Island National Wildlife Refuge, which is a habitat for more than 310 species of birds, 25 mammals, 117 fishes and 65 amphibians and reptiles. The marshes and open water of the refuge also provide wintering areas for 23 species of migratory waterfowl, as well as a year-round home for great blue herons, great egrets, wood storks, cormorants, brown pelicans and other species of marsh and shore birds.

KENNEDY SPACE CENTER, FLA. - White pelicans approach for a landing in a lake north of Kennedy Space Center. Distinctive are their massive yellow bills and black wing tips. They winter from Florida and southern California south to Panama. The Center shares a boundary with the 92,000-acre Merritt Island National Wildlife Refuge, which is a habitat for more than 310 species of birds, 25 mammals, 117 fishes and 65 amphibians and reptiles. The marshes and open water of the refuge also provide wintering areas for 23 species of migratory waterfowl, as well as a year-round home for great blue herons, great egrets, wood storks, cormorants, brown pelicans and other species of marsh and shore birds.

KENNEDY SPACE CENTER, FLA. - White pelicans feed in a lake north of Kennedy Space Center. In the background are white ibis and great white herons. The Center shares a boundary with the 92,000-acre Merritt Island National Wildlife Refuge, which is a habitat for more than 310 species of birds, 25 mammals, 117 fishes and 65 amphibians and reptiles. The marshes and open water of the refuge also provide wintering areas for 23 species of migratory waterfowl, as well as a year-round home for great blue herons, great egrets, wood storks, cormorants, brown pelicans and other species of marsh and shore birds.

KENNEDY SPACE CENTER, FLA. -- The water in the turn basin, east of the Vehicle Assembly Building and next to the crawlerway, teems with fish and draws white pelicans, gray pelicans, cormorants, sea gulls and more looking for a meal. The turn basin is part of the Indian River Lagoon, composed of Mosquito Lagoon to the north, Banana River and Creek to the south and the Indian River to the west. The Indian River Lagoon has one of the most diverse bird populations anywhere in America. Also, nearly one-third of the nation's manatee population lives here or migrates through the lagoon seasonally. The lagoon varies in width from ½ mile to 5 miles and averages only 3 feet in depth

KENNEDY SPACE CENTER, FLA. - A Great Blue Heron takes flight from waters on KSC. It is one of 310 species of birds that inhabit the National Merritt Island Wildlife Refuge, which shares a boundary with KSC. The marshes and open water of the refuge also provide wintering areas for 23 species of migratory waterfowl, as well as a year-round home for great blue herons, great egrets, wood storks, cormorants, brown pelicans and other species of marsh and shore birds.

KENNEDY SPACE CENTER, FLA. - A great blue heron swoops down for a landing on the water near KSC. The heron is one of 310 species of birds that inhabit the National Merritt Island Wildlife Refuge, which shares a boundary with KSC. The marshes and open water of the refuge also provide wintering areas for 23 species of migratory waterfowl, as well as a year-round home for great blue herons, great egrets, wood storks, cormorants, brown pelicans and other species of marsh and shore birds.

KENNEDY SPACE CENTER, FLA. - A great blue heron patiently stalks its prey in the marshes around KSC. The heron is one of 310 species of birds that inhabit the National Merritt Island Wildlife Refuge, which shares a boundary with KSC. The marshes and open water of the refuge also provide wintering areas for 23 species of migratory waterfowl, as well as a year-round home for great blue herons, great egrets, wood storks, cormorants, brown pelicans and other species of marsh and shore birds.

KENNEDY SPACE CENTER, FLA. - A great white heron silently waits in the tall grass within KSC. The heron is one of 310 species of birds that inhabit the National Merritt Island Wildlife Refuge, which shares a boundary with KSC. The marshes and open water of the refuge also provide wintering areas for 23 species of migratory waterfowl, as well as a year-round home for great blue herons, great egrets, wood storks, cormorants, brown pelicans and other species of marsh and shore birds.

A rescued white pelican, dubbed "Fisheater" by his rescuers, takes a tentative step and stretches its wings after being let go at the Merritt Island National Wildlife Refuge. Looking on is Mark Epstein, with the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, who had held the bird while Kat Royer, also with the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, placed on it a leg band issued by the U.S. Department of the Interior's Bird Banding Laboratory. The pelican was found covered in crude oil from a contaminated ditch in northern Indiana in November, and was rescued by a local Police Department, treated, and flown to the Back to Nature Wildlife Refuge in Orlando, Fla. for care and rest. It is being released to join a flock of about 30 other white pelicans that are wintering on the refuge. White pelicans inhabit marshy lakes and along the Pacific and Texas coasts. They winter from Florida and southern California south to Panama, chiefly in coastal lagoons. They are frequently seen flying in long lines, flapping and sailing in unison, but also ride rising air currents to soar gracefully in circles. The Merritt Island National Wildlife Refuge, which encompasses 92,000 acres that are a habitat for more than 331 species of birds, 31 mammals, 117 fishes, and 65 amphibians and reptiles. The marshes and open water of the refuge provide wintering areas for 23 species of migratory waterfowl, as well as a year-round home for great blue herons, great egrets, wood storks, cormorants, brown pelicans and other species of marsh and shore birds, as well as a variety of insects

KENNEDY SPACE CENTER, FLA. -- A white pelican named "Fisheater" by its rescuers soars to open water in the Merritt Island National Wildlife Refuge as it flies to freedom. The pelican was found covered in crude oil from a contaminated ditch in northern Indiana in November, and was rescued by a local Police Department, treated, and flown to the Back to Nature Wildlife Refuge in Orlando, Fla. for care and rest. It is being released today to join a flock of about 30 other white pelicans that are wintering on the refuge, some of which are nearby. Before its release, however, Kat Royer, with the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, placed on it a leg band issued by the U.S. Department of the Interior's Bird Banding Laboratory. White pelicans inhabit marshy lakes and along the Pacific and Texas coasts. They winter from Florida and southern California south to Panama, chiefly in coastal lagoons. They are frequently seen flying in long lines, flapping and sailing in unison, but also ride rising air currents to soar gracefully in circles. The Merritt Island National Wildlife Refuge, which encompasses 92,000 acres that are a habitat for more than 331 species of birds, 31 mammals, 117 fishes, and 65 amphibians and reptiles. The marshes and open water of the refuge provide wintering areas for 23 species of migratory waterfowl, as well as a year-round home for great blue herons, great egrets, wood storks, cormorants, brown pelicans and other species of marsh and shore birds, as well as a variety of insects.

Mark Epstein, with the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, holds a white pelican that will be released under a rain-filled sky at the Merritt Island National Wildlife Refuge. The bird was found covered in crude oil from a contaminated ditch in northern Indiana in November, and was rescued by a local Police Department, treated, and flown to the Back to Nature Wildlife Center in Orlando, Fla. for care and rest. After Kat Royer, who is with the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, fits the bird with a leg band issued by the U.S. Department of the Interior's Bird Banding Laboratory, the pelican will be let go to join a flock of about 30 other white pelicans that are wintering on the refuge. White pelicans inhabit marshy lakes and along the Pacific and Texas coasts. They winter from Florida and southern California south to Panama, chiefly in coastal lagoons. They are frequently seen flying in long lines, flapping and sailing in unison, but also ride rising air currents to soar gracefully in circles. The Merritt Island National Wildlife Refuge, which encompasses 92,000 acres that are a habitat for more than 331 species of birds, 31 mammals, 117 fishes, and 65 amphibians and reptiles. The marshes and open water of the refuge provide wintering areas for 23 species of migratory waterfowl, as well as a year-round home for great blue herons, great egrets, wood storks, cormorants, brown pelicans and other species of marsh and shore birds, as well as a variety of insects

KENNEDY SPACE CENTER, FLA. -- A white pelican and several small egrets rest on the bank of a pond in in the waters of the Merritt Island National Wildlife Refuge, which shares a boundary with Kennedy Space Center. White pelicans inhabit marshy lakes and along the Pacific and Texas coasts. They winter from Florida and southern California south to Panama, chiefly in coastal lagoons. They are frequently seen flying in long lines, flapping and sailing in unison, but also ride rising air currents to soar gracefully in circles. The range of the egret includes southern and eastern states, Mexico, Central and South America, and the West Indies. The Refuge encompasses 92,000 acres that are a habitat for more than 331 species of birds, 31 mammals, 117 fishes, and 65 amphibians and reptiles. The marshes and open water of the refuge provide wintering areas for 23 species of migratory waterfowl, as well as a year-round home for great blue herons, great egrets, wood storks, cormorants, brown pelicans and other species of marsh and shore birds, as well as a variety of insects

iss067e184608 (April 28, 2022) --- New Orleans, Louisiana, and its surrrounding suburbs, including Gretna, Metarie, and Kenner, are pictured along the Mississsippi River with Lake Ponchartrain at top. The International Space Station was just off the southeast coast of the Pelican State orbiting 264 miles above the Gulf of Mexico at the time of this photograph.

A pelican takes flight at NASA's Kennedy Space Center in Florida on Jan. 11, 2021. The center shares a border with the Merritt Island National Wildlife Refuge. More than 330 native and migratory bird species, along with 25 mammal, 117 fish, and 65 amphibian and reptile species call Kennedy and the wildlife refuge home.

KENNEDY SPACE CENTER, FLA. -- In the turn basin near the Vehicle Assembly Building, a dolphin interrupts two white pelicans swimming near the shore. White pelicans winter from Florida and southern California to Panama, chiefly in coastal lagoons, and usually in colonies. The turn basin was carved out of the Banana River when Kennedy Space Center was built. KSC shares a boundary with the Merritt Island Wildlife Nature Refuge. The refuge is a habitat for more than 310 species of birds, 25 mammals, 117 fishes and 65 amphibians and reptiles. In addition, the Refuge supports 19 endangered or threatened wildlife species on Federal or State lists, more than any other single refuge in the U.S. Photo credit: NASA/Jim Grossmann

KENNEDY SPACE CENTER, FLA. -- A flock of white pelicans splash down in the turn basin near one of the launch pads at NASA's Kennedy Space Center. White pelicans winter from Florida and southern California to Panama, chiefly in coastal lagoons, and usually in colonies. The turn basin was carved out of the Banana River when Kennedy Space Center was built. KSC shares a boundary with the Merritt Island National Wildlife Refuge. The refuge is a habitat for more than 310 species of birds, 25 mammals, 117 fishes and 65 amphibians and reptiles. In addition, the refuge supports 19 endangered or threatened wildlife species on Federal or State lists, more than any other single refuge in the U.S. Photo credit: NASA/Ken Thornsley

KENNEDY SPACE CENTER, FLA. -- The water in the turn basin, located east of the Vehicle Assembly Building and next to the crawlerway, teems with fish and draws white pelicans, gray pelicans, cormorants, sea gulls and one of several dolphins looking for a meal. The turn basin is part of the Indian River Lagoon, composed of Mosquito Lagoon to the north, Banana River and Creek to the south and the Indian River to the west. The lagoon has one of the most diverse bird populations anywhere in America, plus many different species of oceanic and lagoon fish, shellfish and dolphins. Also, nearly one-third of the nation's manatee population lives here or migrates through the lagoon seasonally. The lagoon varies in width from ½ mile to 5 miles and averages only 3 feet in depth

KENNEDY SPACE CENTER, FLA. - Roseate spoonbills wade in the shallow water (foreground) while white pelicans and herons gather in deeper water (background) on a lake north of Kennedy Space Center. The spoonbills are so named because of the broad spatulate tip on its long straight bill. They obtain food by sweeping their bills from side to side and scooping up whatever they encounter. The Center shares a boundary north, south and west with the 92,000-acre Merritt Island National Wildlife Refuge, which is a habitat for more than 310 species of birds, 25 mammals, 117 fishes and 65 amphibians and reptiles. The marshes and open water of the refuge also provide wintering areas for 23 species of migratory waterfowl, as well as a year-round home for great blue herons, great egrets, wood storks, cormorants, brown pelicans and other species of marsh and shore birds.

KENNEDY SPACE CENTER, FLA. -- In formation, a flock of white pelicans cruise through the blue sky over NASA's Kennedy Space Center. White pelicans winter from Florida and southern California to Panama, chiefly in coastal lagoons, and usually in colonies. The turn basin was carved out of the Banana River when Kennedy Space Center was built. KSC shares a boundary with the Merritt Island National Wildlife Refuge. The refuge is a habitat for more than 310 species of birds, 25 mammals, 117 fishes and 65 amphibians and reptiles. In addition, the refuge supports 19 endangered or threatened wildlife species on Federal or State lists, more than any other single refuge in the U.S. Photo credit: NASA/Ken Thornsley

KENNEDY SPACE CENTER, FLA. -- White pelicans cruise through the blue sky over NASA's Kennedy Space Center. White pelicans winter from Florida and southern California to Panama, chiefly in coastal lagoons, and usually in colonies. The turn basin was carved out of the Banana River when Kennedy Space Center was built. KSC shares a boundary with the Merritt Island National Wildlife Refuge. The refuge is a habitat for more than 310 species of birds, 25 mammals, 117 fishes and 65 amphibians and reptiles. In addition, the refuge supports 19 endangered or threatened wildlife species on Federal or State lists, more than any other single refuge in the U.S. Photo credit: NASA/Ken Thornsley

KENNEDY SPACE CENTER, FLA. -- In formation, a flock of white pelicans cruise through the blue sky over NASA's Kennedy Space Center. White pelicans winter from Florida and southern California to Panama, chiefly in coastal lagoons, and usually in colonies. The turn basin was carved out of the Banana River when Kennedy Space Center was built. KSC shares a boundary with the Merritt Island National Wildlife Refuge. The refuge is a habitat for more than 310 species of birds, 25 mammals, 117 fishes and 65 amphibians and reptiles. In addition, the refuge supports 19 endangered or threatened wildlife species on Federal or State lists, more than any other single refuge in the U.S. Photo credit: NASA/Ken Thornsley

KENNEDY SPACE CENTER, FLA. -- White pelicans gather in the turn basin near the Vehicle Assembly Building of NASA's Kennedy Space Center. The turn basin was carved out of the Banana River when Kennedy Space Center was built. White pelicans winter from Florida and southern California to Panama, chiefly in coastal lagoons, and usually in colonies. KSC shares a boundary with the Merritt Island Wildlife Nature Refuge. The refuge is a habitat for more than 310 species of birds, 25 mammals, 117 fishes and 65 amphibians and reptiles. In addition, the Refuge supports 19 endangered or threatened wildlife species on Federal or State lists, more than any other single refuge in the U.S. Photo credit: NASA/George Shelton

KENNEDY SPACE CENTER, FLA. -- The water in the turn basin, located east of the Vehicle Assembly Building and next to the crawlerway, teems with fish and draws white pelicans, gray pelicans, cormorants, sea gulls and one of several dolphins looking for a meal. The turn basin is part of the Indian River Lagoon, composed of Mosquito Lagoon to the north, Banana River and Creek to the south and the Indian River to the west. The lagoon has one of the most diverse bird populations anywhere in America, plus many different species of oceanic and lagoon fish, shellfish and dolphins. Also, nearly one-third of the nation's manatee population lives here or migrates through the lagoon seasonally. The lagoon varies in width from ½ mile to 5 miles and averages only 3 feet in depth

KENNEDY SPACE CENTER, FLA. -- White pelicans form a line while swimming in the turn basin near the Vehicle Assembly Building of NASA's Kennedy Space Center. The turn basin was carved out of the Banana River when Kennedy Space Center was built. White pelicans winter from Florida and southern California to Panama, chiefly in coastal lagoons, and usually in colonies. KSC shares a boundary with the Merritt Island Wildlife Nature Refuge. The refuge is a habitat for more than 310 species of birds, 25 mammals, 117 fishes and 65 amphibians and reptiles. In addition, the Refuge supports 19 endangered or threatened wildlife species on Federal or State lists, more than any other single refuge in the U.S. Photo credit: NASA/George Shelton

KENNEDY SPACE CENTER, FLA. - A soft-shell turtle with only three legs is seen crossing the tow-way at KSC. The turtle is one of 65 amphibians and reptiles found in the Merritt Island National Wildlife Refuge, which surrounds KSC. The Wildlife Refuge encompasses 92,000 acres that are also a habitat for more than 331 species of birds, 31 mammals and 117 fishes. The marshes and open water of the refuge provide wintering areas for 23 species of migratory waterfowl, as well as a year-round home for great blue herons, great egrets, wood storks, cormorants, brown pelicans and other species of marsh and shore birds, plus a variety of insects.

KENNEDY SPACE CENTER, FLA. - Two blue-winged teals swim in a pond near KSC. The species prefers marshes and shallow ponds and lakes for nesting and range from Canada to North Carolina, the Gulf Coast and Southern California, as well as Florida. KSC shares a boundary with the National Merritt Island Wildlife Refuge, which provides wintering areas for 23 species of migratory waterfowl, as well as a year-round home for great blue herons, great egrets, wood storks, cormorants, brown pelicans and other species of marsh and shore birds.

KENNEDY SPACE CENTER, FLA. -- Two roseate spoonbills hunt for their supper in the water near KSC. Spoonbills prefer to inhabit mangroves, ranging from the coasts of southern Florida, Louisiana and Texas, to the West Indies, Mexico, Central and South America. They feed on shrimps and fish in shallow waters. Spoonbills are one of 310 species of birds that inhabit the National Merritt Island Wildlife Refuge, which shares a boundary with KSC. The marshes and open water of the refuge also provide wintering areas for 23 species of migratory waterfowl, as well as a year-round home for great blue herons, great egrets, wood storks, cormorants, brown pelicans and other species of marsh and shore birds.

KENNEDY SPACE CENTER, FLA. - A closeup of a soft-shell turtle seen crossing the tow-way at KSC. The turtle is one of 65 amphibians and reptiles found in the Merritt Island National Wildlife Refuge, which surrounds KSC. The Wildlife Refuge encompasses 92,000 acres that are also a habitat for more than 331 species of birds, 31 mammals and 117 fishes. The marshes and open water of the refuge provide wintering areas for 23 species of migratory waterfowl, as well as a year-round home for great blue herons, great egrets, wood storks, cormorants, brown pelicans and other species of marsh and shore birds, plus a variety of insects.

KENNEDY SPACE CENTER, FLA. - A roseate spoonbill flies across the water near KSC. Spoonbills prefer to inhabit mangroves, ranging from the coasts of southern Florida, Louisiana and Texas, to the West Indies, Mexico, Central and South America. They feed on shrimps and fish in shallow waters. Spoonbills are one of 310 species of birds that inhabit the National Merritt Island Wildlife Refuge, which shares a boundary with KSC. The marshes and open water of the refuge also provide wintering areas for 23 species of migratory waterfowl, as well as a year-round home for great blue herons, great egrets, wood storks, cormorants, brown pelicans and other species of marsh and shore birds.

KENNEDY SPACE CENTER, FLA. -- A roseate spoonbill contemplates its reflection in the water near KSC. Spoonbills prefer to inhabit mangroves, ranging from the coasts of southern Florida, Louisiana and Texas, to the West Indies, Mexico, Central and South America. They feed on shrimps and fish in shallow waters. Spoonbills are one of 310 species of birds that inhabit the Merritt Island National Wildlife Refuge, which shares a boundary with KSC. The marshes and open water of the refuge also provide wintering areas for 23 species of migratory waterfowl, as well as a year-round home for great blue herons, great egrets, wood storks, cormorants, brown pelicans and other species of marsh and shore birds.

A pelican soars above a waterway at NASA's Kennedy Space Center in Florida on Jan. 11, 2021. The center shares a border with the Merritt Island National Wildlife Refuge. More than 330 native and migratory bird species, along with 25 mammal, 117 fish, and 65 amphibian and reptile species call Kennedy and the wildlife refuge home.

Seagulls gather along a shoreline at NASA's Kennedy Space Center in Florida. Kennedy shares a boundary with the Merritt Island National Wildlife Refuge. The refuge encompasses 140,000 acres that are a habitat for more than 331 species of birds, 31 mammals, 117 fish, and 65 amphibians and reptiles. The marshes and open water of the refuge provide wintering areas for 23 species of migratory waterfowl, as well as a year-round home for great blue herons, great egrets, wood storks, cormorants, brown pelicans and other species of marsh and shore birds.

Pelicans perch on the support beams of an embankment on a waterway at NASA's Kennedy Space Center in Florida on Jan. 11, 2021. The center shares a border with the Merritt Island National Wildlife Refuge. More than 330 native and migratory bird species, along with 25 mammal, 117 fish, and 65 amphibian and reptile species call Kennedy and the wildlife refuge home.

KENNEDY SPACE CENTER, FLA. - A black-necked stilt, foraging for food, pays no attention to a great egret as it comes in for a landing in a marshy area of the Merritt Island National Wildlife Refuge. The refuge was established in 1963 on Kennedy Space Center land and water not used by NASA for the space program. The marshes and open water of the refuge provide wintering grounds for 23 species of migratory waterfowl, as well as a year-round home for great blue herons, wood storks, cormorants, brown pelicans and other species of marsh and shore birds.

Pelicans perch on the support beams of an embankment on a waterway at NASA's Kennedy Space Center in Florida on Jan. 11, 2021. The center shares a border with the Merritt Island National Wildlife Refuge. More than 330 native and migratory bird species, along with 25 mammal, 117 fish, and 65 amphibian and reptile species call Kennedy and the wildlife refuge home.

CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. - A belted kingfisher perches on a shrub branch in an area of NASA's Kennedy Space Center in Florida. It is one of 310 species of birds that inhabit the National Merritt Island Wildlife Refuge, which shares a boundary with Kennedy. The marshes and open water of the refuge also provide wintering areas for 23 species of migratory waterfowl, as well as a year-round home for great blue herons, great egrets, wood storks, cormorants, brown pelicans and other species of marsh and shore birds. Photo credit: NASA/Dimitri Gerondidakis

KENNEDY SPACE CENTER, FLA. - Pelicans settle onto the water at an area north of the Launch Complex 39 Area at NASA Kennedy Space Center. The area is part of the Merritt Island National Wildlife Refuge, which shares a boundary with the center. The wildlife refuge is a habitat for more than 310 species of birds, 25 mammals, 117 fishes and 65 amphibians and reptiles. In addition, the Refuge supports 19 endangered or threatened wildlife species on Federal or State lists, more than any other single refuge in the U.S.

S133-E-006618 (26 Feb. 2011) --- An oblique view of Walvis Bay, Namibia, in the South Atlantic Ocean, was provided by an STS-133 crew member onboard Discovery using a digital still camera. Approximate center coordinates of the area pictured are 23.0 degrees south latitude and 14.5 degrees east longitude. Seen also are parts of the Namibian Desert, Pelican Point (sand spit), and Kuiseb River on the edge of the dune field. Photo credit: NASA or National Aeronautics and Space Administration

A snowy egret is seen at NASA's Kennedy Space Center in Florida. Kennedy shares a boundary with the Merritt Island National Wildlife Refuge. The refuge encompasses 140,000 acres that are a habitat for more than 331 species of birds, 31 mammals, 117 fish, and 65 amphibians and reptiles. The marshes and open water of the refuge provide wintering areas for 23 species of migratory waterfowl, as well as a year-round home for great blue herons, great egrets, wood storks, cormorants, brown pelicans and other species of marsh and shore birds.

CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. -- Brown pelicans search for fish in brackish water at NASA's Kennedy Space Center in Florida around dawn. Kennedy coexists with the Merritt Island National Wildlife Refuge, habitat to more than 310 species of birds, 25 mammals, 117 fish and 65 amphibians and reptiles. Photo credit: NASA/Frank Michaux

CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. –– A cormorant enjoys the sunshine while standing in the water on NASA's Kennedy Space Center in Florida. The bird is a common sight around Kennedy, which shares a boundary with the Merritt Island National Wildlife Refuge. The marshes and open water of the refuge provide wintering areas for 23 species of migratory waterfowl, as well as a year-round home for great blue herons, great egrets, wood storks, cormorants, brown pelicans and other species of marsh and shore birds. Photo credit: NASA/Dimitri Gerondidakis

CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. - A belted kingfisher perches on a shrub branch in an area of NASA's Kennedy Space Center in Florida. It is one of 310 species of birds that inhabit the National Merritt Island Wildlife Refuge, which shares a boundary with Kennedy. The marshes and open water of the refuge also provide wintering areas for 23 species of migratory waterfowl, as well as a year-round home for great blue herons, great egrets, wood storks, cormorants, brown pelicans and other species of marsh and shore birds. Photo credit: NASA/Dimitri Gerondidakis

Ducks gather in a waterway at NASA's Kennedy Space Center in Florida. Kennedy shares a boundary with the Merritt Island National Wildlife Refuge. The refuge encompasses 140,000 acres that are a habitat for more than 331 species of birds, 31 mammals, 117 fish, and 65 amphibians and reptiles. The marshes and open water of the refuge provide wintering areas for 23 species of migratory waterfowl, as well as a year-round home for great blue herons, great egrets, wood storks, cormorants, brown pelicans and other species of marsh and shore birds.

A wild turkey is seen at NASA's Kennedy Space Center in Florida. Kennedy shares a boundary with the Merritt Island National Wildlife Refuge. The refuge encompasses 140,000 acres that are a habitat for more than 331 species of birds, 31 mammals, 117 fish, and 65 amphibians and reptiles. The marshes and open water of the refuge provide wintering areas for 23 species of migratory waterfowl, as well as a year-round home for great blue herons, great egrets, wood storks, cormorants, brown pelicans and other species of marsh and shore birds.

KENNEDY SPACE CENTER, FLA. - It's not always birds of a feather which flock together. Here, a flock of white pelicans splash down in a lagoon near KSC's Pad A of Launch Complex 39, where another 'bird' - the Space Shuttle Columbia - is poised for launch on its first voyage into orbit. The Rotating Service Structure, which houses the snug-fitting, environmentally clean 'white room' where payloads will be loaded into the orbiter's cargo bay, is shown at left in its retracted position.

CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. -- A brown pelican searches for fish in brackish water at NASA's Kennedy Space Center in Florida around dawn. Kennedy coexists with the Merritt Island National Wildlife Refuge, habitat to more than 310 species of birds, 25 mammals, 117 fish and 65 amphibians and reptiles. Photo credit: NASA/Frank Michaux

KENNEDY SPACE CENTER, FLA. - Distinctive with its black and white coloring and very long red legs trailing behind is a black-winged stilt. The bird is a common sight around KSC, which shares a boundary with the Merritt Island National Wildlife Refuge. The marshes and open water of the refuge provide wintering areas for 23 species of migratory waterfowl, as well as a year-round home for great blue herons, great egrets, wood storks, cormorants, brown pelicans and other species of marsh and shore birds.

A pelican perches on the support beam of a dock on a waterway at NASA's Kennedy Space Center in Florida on Jan. 11, 2021. The center shares a border with the Merritt Island National Wildlife Refuge. More than 330 native and migratory bird species, along with 25 mammal, 117 fish, and 65 amphibian and reptile species call Kennedy and the wildlife refuge home.

KENNEDY SPACE CENTER, FLA. - Space Shuttle Atlantis seems surrounded by birds - most likely pelicans - as it roars into the clear blue sky on mission STS-110. Liftoff occurred at 4:44:19 p.m. EDT (20:41:19 GMT). Carrying the S0 Integrated Truss Structure and Mobile Transporter, STS-110 is the 13th assembly flight to the International Space Station

CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. -- Brown pelicans take a dip in brackish water at NASA's Kennedy Space Center in Florida around dawn. Kennedy coexists with the Merritt Island National Wildlife Refuge, habitat to more than 310 species of birds, 25 mammals, 117 fish and 65 amphibians and reptiles. Photo credit: NASA/Frank Michaux

KENNEDY SPACE CENTER, FLA. - Herons, black ibis and a roseate spoonbill gather in a canal near KSC, which shares a boundary with the Merritt Island National Wildlife Refuge. The marshes and open water of the refuge provide wintering areas for 23 species of migratory waterfowl, as well as a year-round home for great blue herons, great egrets, wood storks, cormorants, brown pelicans and other species of marsh and shore birds.

CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. -- A brown pelican searches for fish in brackish water at NASA's Kennedy Space Center in Florida around dawn. Kennedy coexists with the Merritt Island National Wildlife Refuge, habitat to more than 310 species of birds, 25 mammals, 117 fish and 65 amphibians and reptiles. Photo credit: NASA/Frank Michaux

A pelican sits near a dock on a waterway at NASA's Kennedy Space Center in Florida on Jan. 11, 2021. The center shares a border with the Merritt Island National Wildlife Refuge. More than 330 native and migratory bird species, along with 25 mammal, 117 fish, and 65 amphibian and reptile species call Kennedy and the wildlife refuge home.

A pelican soars above a waterway at NASA's Kennedy Space Center in Florida on Jan. 11, 2021. The center shares a border with the Merritt Island National Wildlife Refuge. More than 330 native and migratory bird species, along with 25 mammal, 117 fish, and 65 amphibian and reptile species call Kennedy and the wildlife refuge home.

KENNEDY SPACE CENTER, FLA. -- A flock of ducks launch into the morning sky in the Merritt Island National Wildlife Refuge at Kennedy Space Center. The open water of the refuge provides wintering areas for 23 species of migratory waterfowl, as well as a year-round home for great blue herons, great egrets, wood storks, cormorants, brown pelicans and other species of marsh and shore birds. The 92,000-acre refuge is also habitat for more than 310 species of birds, 25 mammals, 117 fishes and 65 amphibians and reptiles

A wild turkey is seen at NASA's Kennedy Space Center in Florida. Kennedy shares a boundary with the Merritt Island National Wildlife Refuge. The refuge encompasses 140,000 acres that are a habitat for more than 331 species of birds, 31 mammals, 117 fish, and 65 amphibians and reptiles. The marshes and open water of the refuge provide wintering areas for 23 species of migratory waterfowl, as well as a year-round home for great blue herons, great egrets, wood storks, cormorants, brown pelicans and other species of marsh and shore birds.

A colorful sunrise serves as the backdrop for a pelican perched on a support beam for a dock on a waterway at NASA's Kennedy Space Center in Florida on Jan. 11, 2021. The center shares a border with the Merritt Island National Wildlife Refuge. More than 330 native and migratory bird species, along with 25 mammal, 117 fish, and 65 amphibian and reptile species call Kennedy and the wildlife refuge home.

KENNEDY SPACE CENTER, FLA. - Herons, a roseate spoonbill and other species of water birds gather in a canal near KSC, which shares a boundary with the Merritt Island National Wildlife Refuge. The marshes and open water of the refuge provide wintering areas for 23 species of migratory waterfowl, as well as a year-round home for great blue herons, great egrets, wood storks, cormorants, brown pelicans and other species of marsh and shore birds.

KENNEDY SPACE CENTER, FLA. -- A tri-colored heron stands sentry in the marshes around KSC. It has slate blue feathers on most of its body except for a white chest and belly and a rust-colored neck. It has long yellow legs, a white stripe that runs up its neck and long pointed yellow bill. The bill turns blue during breeding season.The heron is one of 310 species of birds that inhabit the Merritt Island National Wildlife Refuge, which shares a boundary with KSC. The marshes and open water of the refuge also provide wintering areas for 23 species of migratory waterfowl, as well as a year-round home for great egrets, wood storks, cormorants, brown pelicans and other species of marsh and shore birds.

KENNEDY SPACE CENTER, FLA. -- Three male and one female hooded mergansers swim in the quicksilver water of the Merritt Island National Wildlife Refuge, which shares a boundary with Kennedy Space Center. Usually found from Alaska and Canada south to Nebraska, Oregon and Tennessee, hooded mergansers winter south to Mexico and the Gulf Coast, including KSC. The open water of the refuge provides wintering areas for 23 species of migratory waterfowl, as well as a year-round home for great blue herons, great egrets, wood storks, cormorants, brown pelicans and other species of marsh and shore birds. The 92,000-acre refuge is also habitat for more than 310 species of birds, 25 mammals, 117 fishes and 65 amphibians and reptiles.

KENNEDY SPACE CENTER, FLA. -- A group of roseate spoonbills share their watery hunting ground with a lone white ibis near KSC. Spoonbills prefer to inhabit mangroves, ranging from the coasts of southern Florida, Louisiana and Texas, to the West Indies, Mexico, Central and South America. They feed on shrimps and fish in shallow waters. Spoonbills are one of 310 species of birds that inhabit the Merritt Island National Wildlife Refuge, which shares a boundary with KSC. The marshes and open water of the refuge also provide wintering areas for 23 species of migratory waterfowl, as well as a year-round home for great blue herons, great egrets, wood storks, cormorants, brown pelicans and other species of marsh and shore birds.

KENNEDY SPACE CENTER, FLA. -- A lone white ibis shares its watery hunting ground with a group of roseate spoonbills near KSC. Spoonbills prefer to inhabit mangroves, ranging from the coasts of southern Florida, Louisiana and Texas, to the West Indies, Mexico, Central and South America. They feed on shrimps and fish in shallow waters. Spoonbills are one of 310 species of birds that inhabit the Merritt Island National Wildlife Refuge, which shares a boundary with KSC. The marshes and open water of the refuge also provide wintering areas for 23 species of migratory waterfowl, as well as a year-round home for great blue herons, great egrets, wood storks, cormorants, brown pelicans and other species of marsh and shore birds.

In the early morning skies, flocks of birds soar over KSC wetlands. Kennedy Space Center shares a boundary with the Merritt Island National Wildlife Refuge that encompasses 92,000 acres that are a habitat for more than 331 species of birds, 31 mammals, 117 fishes, and 65 amphibians and reptiles. The marshes and open water of the refuge provide wintering areas for 23 species of migratory waterfowl, as well as a year-round home for great blue herons, great egrets, wood storks, cormorants, brown pelicans and other species of marsh and shore birds, as well as a variety of insects

A red-shouldered hawk sits on a tree branch while snacking on a snake at NASA’s Kennedy Space Center in Florida. Kennedy shares a boundary with the Merritt Island National Wildlife Refuge. The Refuge encompasses 140,000 acres that are a habitat for more than 331 species of birds, 31 mammals, 117 fishes, and 65 amphibians and reptiles. The marshes and open water of the refuge provide wintering areas for 23 species of migratory waterfowl, as well as a year-round home for great blue herons, great egrets, wood storks, cormorants, brown pelicans and other species of marsh and shore birds, as well as a variety of insects.

CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. - A line of spotted sandpipers gather along the water's edge on NASA's Kennedy Space Center in Florida. It is one of 310 species of birds that inhabit the National Merritt Island Wildlife Refuge, which shares a boundary with Kennedy. The marshes and open water of the refuge also provide wintering areas for 23 species of migratory waterfowl, as well as a year-round home for great blue herons, great egrets, wood storks, cormorants, brown pelicans and other species of marsh and shore birds. Photo credit: NASA/Dimitri Gerondidakis

KENNEDY SPACE CENTER, FLA. -- An alligator lurks in the murky, mossy waters of the Merritt Island National Wildlife Refuge at Kennedy Space Center. Its tail surfaces behind him, looking like a log in the water. The wildlife refuge harbors nearly 5,000 American alligators, some of which can be seen in the canals and ponds around KSC. The refuge is also habitat for more than 310 species of birds, 25 mammals, 117 fishes and 65 amphibians and reptiles. The open water provides wintering areas for 23 species of migratory waterfowl and a year-round home for great blue herons, great egrets, wood storks, cormorants, brown pelicans and other species of marsh and shore birds

KENNEDY SPACE CENTER, FLA. - Distinctive with its black and white coloring and very long red legs, this stilt heads for deeper water in a marsh near KSC, which shares a boundary with the Merritt Island National Wildlife Refuge. Stilts inhabit salt marshes and shallow coastal bays in the East. The marshes and open water of the refuge provide wintering areas for 23 species of migratory waterfowl, as well as a year-round home for great blue herons, great egrets, wood storks, cormorants, brown pelicans and other species of marsh and shore birds.

CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. - A Kingfisher perches on the branch of a tree at NASA’s Kennedy Space Center in Florida. The center shares a boundary with the Merritt Island National Wildlife Refuge. The refuge encompasses 140,000 acres that are a habitat for more than 330 species of birds, 31 mammals, 117 fishes, and 65 amphibians and reptiles. It contains more than 1,000 known plant species. The marshes and open water of the refuge provide wintering areas for 23 species of migratory waterfowl, as well as a year-round home for great blue herons, great egrets, wood storks, cormorants, brown pelicans and other species of marsh and shore birds, and a variety of insects. Photo credit: NASA/Daniel Casper