Bird photos

California Brown Pelican Portrait With Twisted Neck, overcast light, winter adult breeding plumage, head twisted to face backwards as it preens, eyes locked on camera.
Species: Brown Pelican, Pelecanus occidentalis, Pelecanus occidentalis californicus
Location: La Jolla, California
Image ID: 38861  

Brown Pelicans Flying Along Sheer Ocean Cliffs, rare westerly winds associated with a storm allow pelicans to glide along La Jolla's cliffs as they approach shelves and outcroppings on which to land. Backlit by rising sun during stormy conditions.
Species: Brown Pelican, Pelecanus occidentalis, Pelecanus occidentalis californicus
Location: La Jolla, California
Image ID: 38867  

California Brown pelican in flight, La Jolla, wings outstretched, spreading wings wide to slow in anticipation of landing on seacliffs. Adult winter breeding plumage colors.
Species: Brown Pelican, Pelecanus occidentalis, Pelecanus occidentalis californicus
Location: La Jolla, California
Image ID: 38884  

Royal Tern in flight, adult breeding plumage with black head cap, La Jolla.
Species: Royal tern, Sterna maxima, Thalasseus maximus
Location: La Jolla, California
Image ID: 38946  

Brown pelican in flight. The wingspan of the brown pelican is over 7 feet wide. The California race of the brown pelican holds endangered species status. Adult winter non-breeding plumage.
Species: Brown Pelican, Pelecanus occidentalis, Pelecanus occidentalis californicus
Location: La Jolla, California
Image ID: 22142  

California brown pelican, portrait in pink-purple predawn light, rests on sandstone seabluff. The characteristic breeding plumage of the California race of brown pelican is shown, with red gular throat pouch and dark brown hindneck colors.
Species: Brown Pelican, Pelecanus occidentalis, Pelecanus occidentalis californicus
Location: La Jolla, California
Image ID: 23646  

California brown pelican, showing characteristic winter plumage including red/olive throat, brown hindneck, yellow and white head colors.
Species: Brown Pelican, Pelecanus occidentalis, Pelecanus occidentalis californicus
Location: La Jolla, California
Image ID: 26462  

Magnificent frigatebird, adult female on nest.
Species: Magnificent frigatebird, Fregata magnificens
Location: North Seymour Island, Galapagos Islands, Ecuador
Image ID: 16726  

California Brown Pelican head throw, stretching its throat to keep it flexible and healthy. Adult winter non-breeding plumage.
Species: Brown Pelican, Pelecanus occidentalis, Pelecanus occidentalis californicus
Location: La Jolla, California
Image ID: 28347  

Brown pelican in flight. The wingspan of the brown pelican is over 7 feet wide. The California race of the brown pelican holds endangered species status. Adult winter non-breeding plumage.
Species: Brown Pelican, Pelecanus occidentalis, Pelecanus occidentalis californicus
Location: La Jolla, California
Image ID: 28356  

Brandt's Cormorant flying with wings spread wide as it slows to land at its nest on ocean cliffs.
Species: Brandt's Cormorant, Phalacrocorax penicillatus
Location: La Jolla, California
Image ID: 40131  

An unusual mixed-species pair of grebes rushing, Western Grebe on left and Clark's Grebe on right. In this spectacular courtship behavior, the grebes beat their feet so rapidly they literally run over the surface of the water.
Species: Western Grebe, Clark's Grebe, Aechmophorus occidentalis, Aechmophorus clarkii
Location: Lake Wohlford, Escondido, California
Image ID: 40848  

Clark's Grebes Dip Shaking, a courtship behavior in which the grebes face each other and alternate dipping their beaks in the water and shaking their head, tossing water into the air. Coupled with ratchet-pointing, several rounds of dip-shaking are often an immediate precursor to rushing.
Species: Clark's Grebe, Aechmophorus clarkii
Location: Lake Wohlford, Escondido, California
Image ID: 40888  

California Brown pelican in flight, soaring along sea cliffs above the ocean in La Jolla, California. The wingspan of the brown pelican is over 7 feet wide. The California race of the brown pelican holds endangered species status.
Species: Brown Pelican, Pelecanus occidentalis, Pelecanus occidentalis californicus
Image ID: 37410  

California brown pelican in flight, spreading wings wide to slow in anticipation of landing on seacliffs, dark background caused by seacliffs in morning shadow.
Species: Brown Pelican, Pelecanus occidentalis, Pelecanus occidentalis californicus
Image ID: 37411  

Brandts Cormorant and chick on the nest, nesting material composed of kelp and sea weed, La Jolla.
Species: Brandt's cormorant, Phalacrocorax penicillatus
Location: La Jolla, California
Image ID: 38472  

Brown pelican in flight with wings spread wide, slowing as it returns from the ocean to land on seacliffs, adult winter non-breeding plumage.
Species: Brown Pelican, Pelecanus occidentalis, Pelecanus occidentalis californicus
Location: La Jolla, California
Image ID: 38608  

Pelican yoga, Utthita Tadasana, extended mountain pose with backbend. A California brown pelican preening, rubbing the back of its head and neck on the uropygial gland (preen gland) near the base of its tail. Preen oil from the uropygial gland is spread by the pelican's beak and back of its head to all other feathers on the pelican, helping to keep them water resistant and dry. Adult winter breeding plumage showing brown hindneck and red gular throat pouch.
Species: Brown Pelican, Pelecanus occidentalis, Pelecanus occidentalis californicus
Location: La Jolla, California
Image ID: 38710  

Sandhill cranes landing in water ponds at dusk, spending the night standing in water as a protection against coyotes and other predators. Motion blur.
Species: Sandhill crane, Grus canadensis
Location: Bosque del Apache National Wildlife Refuge, Socorro, New Mexico
Image ID: 38716  

Sandhill cranes in synchronous flight side by side, matching their wingbeats perfect as they fly over Bosque del Apache NWR.
Species: Sandhill crane, Grus canadensis
Location: Bosque del Apache National Wildlife Refuge, Socorro, New Mexico
Image ID: 38723  

California Brown Pelican Portrait, immature with head tucked into feathers, resting and staring at the camera, overcast light, immature/juvenile plumage.
Species: Brown Pelican, Pelecanus occidentalis, Pelecanus occidentalis californicus
Location: La Jolla, California
Image ID: 38862  

Royal Tern in flight, adult non-breeding plumage, La Jolla.
Species: Royal tern, Sterna maxima, Thalasseus maximus
Location: La Jolla, California
Image ID: 38952  

Brown pelican flying over waves and the surf.
Species: Brown Pelican, Pelecanus occidentalis, Pelecanus occidentalis californicus
Location: La Jolla, California
Image ID: 30193  

Yellow morph of the California brown pelican in flight. The wingspan of the brown pelican is over 7 feet wide. The California race of the brown pelican holds endangered species status. In winter months, breeding adults assume a dramatic plumage.
Species: Brown Pelican, Pelecanus occidentalis, Pelecanus occidentalis californicus
Location: La Jolla, California
Image ID: 15371  

Nazca booby in flight.
Species: Nazca booby, Sula granti
Location: Wolf Island, Galapagos Islands, Ecuador
Image ID: 16681  

Snow geese at dawn. Snow geese often "blast off" just before or after dawn, leaving the ponds where they rest for the night to forage elsewhere during the day.
Species: Snow goose, Chen caerulescens
Location: Bosque del Apache National Wildlife Refuge, Socorro, New Mexico
Image ID: 21806  

Sandhilll cranes in golden sunset light, silhouette, standing in pond.
Species: Sandhill crane, Grus canadensis
Location: Bosque del Apache National Wildlife Refuge, Socorro, New Mexico
Image ID: 21798  

California brown pelican in flight, spreading wings wide to slow in anticipation of landing on seacliffs.
Species: Brown Pelican, Pelecanus occidentalis, Pelecanus occidentalis californicus
Location: La Jolla, California
Image ID: 36680  

Point La Jolla at dawn. Pelicans, cormorants, sea birds, waves and sea cliffs.
Species: Brown Pelican, Pelecanus occidentalis, Pelecanus occidentalis californicus
Location: La Jolla, California
Image ID: 37473  

Magellanic penguin, Spheniscus magellanicus, Patagonia.
Species: Magellanic penguin, Spheniscus magellanicus
Location: Puerto Piramides, Chubut, Argentina
Image ID: 38432