Flock of Brown Pelicans on the Cliffs near La Jolla, California Photograph by L Bosco

Flock of Brown Pelicans on the Cliffs near La Jolla, California

by L Bosco

Canvas Print

$60

Framed Print

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Art Print

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Poster

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Metal Print

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Acrylic Print

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Wood Print

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Tapestry

$41

Tote Bag

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Weekender Tote Bag

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Greeting Card

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Weekender Tote Bag

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Coffee Mug

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Title

Flock of Brown Pelicans on the Cliffs near La Jolla, California

Artist

L Bosco

Medium

Photograph - Digital Image

Description

The wildlife on the La Jolla cliffs is quite tame so it is easy to get close to photograph them.

BROWN PELICANS (Pelecanus occidentalis) are ubiquitous along our shores, but folks still marvel at their aerial acrobatics and their unusual appearance: big gray-brown bodies topped by tiny white-yellow heads with long beaks and a fleshy pouch. In the 1970s, brown pelicans were put on the endangered species list, their numbers nose-diving because of DDT and other pesticides. After those products were banned, the population surged, and in 2009, they were taken off the list.

Divine Symbol
Medieval Europeans believed that mother pelicans would wound themselves to feed their own blood to their offspring; Christians then adopted the bird as a symbol for Jesus.

Dive Bomb
Hovering up to 60 feet in the air, pelicans dive straight down, scooping up mouthfuls of water and stunned fish. (This distinguishes them from white pelicans, who do not fish this way.) They drain the water out of their pouch and swallow the meal whole.

DDT Damage
Pesticides used in the 1960s and 1970s caused pelicans to lay thinner eggs, which cracked during incubation (pelicans stand on their eggs to keep them warm), pushing the species close to extinction.

Float On
Subcutaneous air sacks, which are attached to the bird’s respiratory system, help pelicans stay buoyant.

Lightweights
A brown pelican’s wingspan can push 8 feet, but the largest birds only weigh about 11 pounds.