Seabird photos

Large Flock of Brown Pelicans Take Flight From Ocean Cliffs.
Species: Brown Pelican, Pelecanus occidentalis, Pelecanus occidentalis californicus
Location: La Jolla, California
Image ID: 39819  

Brandt's Cormorant Flying in La Jolla, lit by early morning sun, non-breeding plumage.
Species: Brandt's Cormorant, Phalacrocorax penicillatus
Image ID: 39883  

Brown Pelican with Identification Tags on Legs, blue on left leg and metal alloy on right leg. These tags aid scientists in understanding how the birds travel and recover if they have been rehabilitated.
Species: Brown Pelican, Pelecanus occidentalis californicus, Pelecanus occidentalis
Image ID: 39885  

California Brown Pelican with Wings Outstretched Ready to Land on Ocean Cliffs in La Jolla, early morning light.
Species: Brown Pelican, Pelecanus occidentalis californicus, Pelecanus occidentalis
Image ID: 39886  

Brown pelican in flight. Adult winter non-breeding plumage. Brown pelicans were formerly an endangered species. In 1972, the United States Environmental Protection Agency banned the use of DDT in part to protect bird species like the brown pelican . Since that time, populations of pelicans have recovered and expanded. The recovery has been so successful that brown pelicans were taken off the endangered species list in 2009.
Species: Brown Pelican, Pelecanus occidentalis, Pelecanus occidentalis californicus
Location: La Jolla, California
Image ID: 40011  

A brown pelican preening, reaching with its beak to 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.
Species: Brown Pelican, Pelecanus occidentalis, Pelecanus occidentalis californicus
Location: La Jolla, California
Image ID: 40020  

This California Brown Pelican has its wings spread full wide as it flies over the ocean. The wingspan of the brown pelican can reach 7 feet wide.
Species: Brown Pelican, Pelecanus occidentalis, Pelecanus occidentalis californicus
Location: La Jolla, California
Image ID: 40066  

California brown pelican carrying nesting material as it flies over the ocean with its wings spread wide.
Species: Brown Pelican, Pelecanus occidentalis, Pelecanus occidentalis californicus
Location: La Jolla, California
Image ID: 40068  

California brown pelican in flight, spreading wings wide to slow in anticipation of landing on seacliffs. Note the classic winter breeding plumage, with bright red throat, yellow and white head and neck, and brown hind neck. Other birds at the periphery of the image hint at how crowded the cliff is.
Species: Brown Pelican, Pelecanus occidentalis, Pelecanus occidentalis californicus
Location: La Jolla, California
Image ID: 40069  

Endangered Brown Pelican Flying with Wings Spread Ready to Land. The brown pelican's wingspan can reach 7 feet.
Species: Brown Pelican, Pelecanus occidentalis californicus, Pelecanus occidentalis
Location: La Jolla, California
Image ID: 40095  

Endangered Brown Pelican Flying with Wings Spread Ready to Land. The brown pelican's wingspan can reach 7 feet.
Species: Brown Pelican, Pelecanus occidentalis californicus, Pelecanus occidentalis
Location: La Jolla, California
Image ID: 40097  

Brandt's Cormorant In Flight Carrying Nesting Material in its Beak.
Species: Brandt's Cormorant, Phalacrocorax penicillatus
Location: La Jolla, California
Image ID: 40132  

Male Brandt's Cormorant Skypointing, Courtship Display, Breeding Plumage with blue throat and a few white pin-feathers, La Jolla. Skypointing is an interesting courtship behavior that many birds practice. Among Brandt's Cormorants the male performs this, likely as a way of attracting a mate to the nest he has built by showing off his striking blue throat. He tips his head backward showing off his striking blue throat, and partially raises his wings. Seen here on seacliffs above the ocean.
Species: Brandt's cormorant, Phalacrocorax penicillatus
Location: La Jolla, California
Image ID: 40133  

Ring-Billed Gull in Flight, top view.
Species: Ring-billed Gull, Larus delawarensis
Location: La Jolla, California
Image ID: 40162  

Heermann's Gulls in Flight with Ocean Background.
Species: Heermann's Gull, Larus heermanni
Location: La Jolla, California
Image ID: 40164  

Royal Tern in flight, adult breeding plumage with black head cap, sea lions and waves in the background.
Species: Royal Tern, Sterna maxima, Thalasseus maximus
Location: La Jolla, California
Image ID: 40181  

Royal Tern in Flight over the Ocean in La Jolla.
Species: Royal Tern, Sterna maxima, Thalasseus maximus
Location: La Jolla, California
Image ID: 40182  

California Brown Pelican claps its jaws mandibles, sometimes rapidly several times, perhaps to dislodge debris or simply because its fun and feels good. This is not the same as the "yawn" that precedes a head throw. Adult winter breeding plumage with brown hind-neck.
Species: Brown Pelican, Pelecanus occidentalis, Pelecanus occidentalis californicus
Location: La Jolla, California
Image ID: 40239  

Heermanns gull portrait with open beak, La Jolla, California.
Species: Heermann's gull, Larus heermanni
Location: La Jolla, California
Image ID: 36757  

Brown pelicans jousting, with bright red throat, yellow and white head and brown hind neck, winter plumage.
Species: Brown Pelican, Pelecanus occidentalis, Pelecanus occidentalis californicus
Location: La Jolla, California
Image ID: 37606  

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 non-breeding plumage showing white hindneck and red gular throat pouch (but transitioning to brown hind neck).
Species: Brown Pelican, Pelecanus occidentalis, Pelecanus occidentalis californicus
Location: La Jolla, California
Image ID: 37627  

Ghost Pelican, flying in pre-dawn light, over the ocean.
Species: Brown Pelican, Pelecanus occidentalis, Pelecanus occidentalis californicus
Location: La Jolla, California
Image ID: 37631  

California Brown pelican performing a head throw, with breeding plumage including distinctive yellow and white head feathers, red gular throat pouch, brown hind neck and greyish body.
Species: Brown Pelican, Pelecanus occidentalis, Pelecanus occidentalis californicus
Location: La Jolla, California
Image ID: 37635  

A brown pelican preening, reaching with its beak to 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.
Species: Brown Pelican, Pelecanus occidentalis, Pelecanus occidentalis californicus
Location: La Jolla, California
Image ID: 37693  

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: 37812  

Brown pelican close-up portrait, orange-red bill with pink tissue surrounding eyes, yellow and white head feathers, adult winter non-breeding plumage.
Species: Brown Pelican, Pelecanus occidentalis, Pelecanus occidentalis californicus
Location: La Jolla, California
Image ID: 38587  

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: 38588  

Brown pelican in flight with wings spread wide, slowing as it returns from the ocean to land on seacliffs, juvenile plumage.
Species: Brown Pelican, Pelecanus occidentalis, Pelecanus occidentalis californicus
Location: La Jolla, California
Image ID: 38589  

California brown pelican full body portrait, perched on rock over the ocean in sunlight, adult winter non-breeding plumage.
Species: Brown Pelican, Pelecanus occidentalis, Pelecanus occidentalis californicus
Location: La Jolla, California
Image ID: 38591  

Royal Tern in flight, adult non-breeding plumage, La Jolla.
Species: Royal tern, Sterna maxima, Thalasseus maximus
Location: La Jolla, California
Image ID: 38640