Pelican head throw
by Bryan Keil
Title
Pelican head throw
Artist
Bryan Keil
Medium
Photograph - Photography
Description
Brown Pelican head throw A brown pelican in mating colors throws his head back to stretch the fibers in its neck before the next fishing trip. During winter months California brown pelicans (Pelecanus occidentalis californicus) adopt striking plumage. The gular pouch (throat) of adults transitions from olive green to bright red. Breeding adults are characterized primarily by a dark brown hindneck, and may also show a yellow patch at the base of the foreneck. Nonbreeding adults retain the white hindneck but, since they also may display a red gular pouch, they are sometimes mistaken for breeders. Head coloration in adults can be white, yellow, or a mix of the two, and becomes speckled during molt or chick-feeding. During a bill throw, the pelican arches its neck back, lifting its large bill upward and stretching its throat pouch. La Jolla, California, USA
Uploaded
March 29th, 2013
Embed
Share
