Cownose Rays: Rhinoptera bonasus Cownose rays are found in both
ocean and bay environments along the east coasts of North and
South America, as well as in the Gulf of Mexico. They migrate to
our waters in May and stay until October. Here in Virginia, they
prefer the warm, sandy, shallow waters of the Chesapeake Bay but
can also be found at depths of up to 72 feet in the ocean. The
body of a cownose ray is flattened as it has adapted to a
bottom-dwelling existence. The pectoral fins, or side fins,
spread out from the body and look like wings. When mature, a
cownose ray can weigh more than 35 pounds and these “wings” can
reach a span of more than three feet. A notch in the ray’s head,
when viewed from above, gives it the appearance of a cow’s
muzzle, giving it the name “cownose.” These rays form schools of
hundreds of individual animals and have been seen leaping from
the water’s surface, although this behavior is not clearly
understood. Swimmers often mistake the wingtips of rays swimming
close to the surface