Cleaning Photos

Ocean sunfish recruiting fish near drift kelp to clean parasites, open ocean, Baja California.
Species: Ocean sunfish, Mola mola
Image ID: 03267  

Bignose Unicornfish, Naso vlamingii, being cleaned by a small wrasse, Fiji.
Species: Bignose unicornfish, Naso vlamingii
Location: Namena Marine Reserve, Namena Island, Fiji
Image ID: 34735  

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 non-breeding plumage.
Species: Brown Pelican, Pelecanus occidentalis, Pelecanus occidentalis californicus
Location: La Jolla, California
Image ID: 30326  

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  

Young brown pelican performing yoga Warrior Three or Half Moon Pose Virabhadrasana, on one leg with wings raised and head tipped forward. Possible second or third year winter plumage, immature.
Species: Brown Pelican, Pelecanus occidentalis, Pelecanus occidentalis californicus
Location: La Jolla, California
Image ID: 38881  

Yellow morph California brown pelican preening, cleaning its feathers after foraging on the ocean, with distinctive winter breeding plumage with distinctive dark brown nape, yellow head feathers. Note the unusual yellow gular throat pouch.
Species: Brown Pelican, Pelecanus occidentalis, Pelecanus occidentalis californicus
Location: La Jolla, California
Image ID: 36681  

A brown pelican preening, uropygial gland (preen gland) visible 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. Note adult winter breeding plumage in display, with brown neck, red gular throat pouch and yellow and white head. This adult is just transitioning to the brown hind neck that characterizes breeding brown pelicans.
Species: Brown Pelican, Pelecanus occidentalis, Pelecanus occidentalis californicus
Location: La Jolla, California
Image ID: 36682  

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: 30289  

Brown pelican portrait, displaying winter non-breeding plumage with distinctive yellow head feathers and red gular throat pouch but white hind neck.
Species: Brown Pelican, Pelecanus occidentalis, Pelecanus occidentalis californicus
Location: La Jolla, California
Image ID: 28332  

Ocean sunfish schooling near drift kelp, soliciting cleaner fishes, open ocean, Baja California.
Species: Ocean sunfish, Mola mola
Image ID: 06304  

Blue shark and yellowtail in the open ocean.
Species: North pacific yellowtail, Yellowtail, Kingfish, Prionace glauca, Seriola lalandi
Location: San Diego, California
Image ID: 01000  

Ocean sunfish portrait underwater, Mola mola, San Diego.
Species: Ocean sunfish, Mola mola
Location: San Diego, California
Image ID: 38546  

California Brown Pelican head throw, stretching its throat to keep it flexible and healthy.
Species: Brown Pelican, Pelecanus occidentalis, Pelecanus occidentalis californicus
Location: La Jolla, California
Image ID: 36678  

Ocean sunfish portrait underwater, Mola mola, San Diego.
Species: Ocean sunfish, Mola mola
Location: San Diego, California
Image ID: 38538  

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: 30174  

Brown pelican portrait, displaying winter plumage with distinctive yellow head feathers and red gular throat pouch. This adult is just transitioning to the brown hind neck characteristic of the brown pelican breeding plumage.
Species: Brown Pelican, Pelecanus occidentalis, Pelecanus occidentalis californicus
Location: La Jolla, California
Image ID: 30255  

Brown pelican preening, cleaning its feathers after foraging on the ocean, with winter breeding plumage including distinctive dark brown nape, yellow head feathers and red gular throat pouch.
Species: Brown Pelican, Pelecanus occidentalis, Pelecanus occidentalis californicus
Location: La Jolla, California
Image ID: 22527  

Brown pelican portrait, scratching throat pouch, displaying winter plumage with distinctive yellow head feathers and red gular throat pouch but not yet displaying the brown hind neck feathers.
Species: Brown Pelican, Pelecanus occidentalis, Pelecanus occidentalis californicus
Location: La Jolla, California
Image ID: 28329  

California Brown Pelican head throw, stretching its throat to keep it flexible and healthy.
Species: Brown Pelican, Pelecanus occidentalis, Pelecanus occidentalis californicus
Location: La Jolla, California
Image ID: 29085  

A California brown pelican entangled in a plastic bag which is wrapped around its neck. This unfortunate pelican probably became entangled in the bag by mistaking the floating plastic for food and diving on it, spearing it in such a way that the bag has lodged around the pelican's neck. Plastic bags kill and injure untold numbers of marine animals each year.
Species: Brown Pelican, Pelecanus occidentalis, Pelecanus occidentalis californicus
Location: La Jolla, California
Image ID: 22562  

Brown pelican portrait, displaying winter plumage with distinctive yellow head feathers and colorful gular throat pouch.
Species: Brown Pelican, Pelecanus occidentalis, Pelecanus occidentalis californicus
Location: La Jolla, California
Image ID: 36684  

Brown pelican portrait, displaying winter plumage with distinctive yellow head feathers and colorful gular throat pouch.
Species: Brown Pelican, Pelecanus occidentalis, Pelecanus occidentalis californicus
Location: La Jolla, California
Image ID: 36688  

California Brown Pelican head throw, stretching its throat to keep it flexible and healthy. Note the unusual yellow coloration of the gular pouch, which is normally red in winter adults. Yellow morph.
Species: Brown Pelican, Pelecanus occidentalis, Pelecanus occidentalis californicus
Location: La Jolla, California
Image ID: 36714  

Brown pelican nictitating membrane, a translucent membrane that forms an inner eyelid in birds, reptiles, and some mammals. It can be drawn across the eye to protect it while diving in the ocean, from sand and dust and keep it moist.
Species: Brown Pelican, Pelecanus occidentalis, Pelecanus occidentalis californicus
Location: La Jolla, California
Image ID: 36718  

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  

Portrait of two California brown pelicans with breeding plumage, note the striking red throat, yellow and white head.
Species: Brown Pelican, Pelecanus occidentalis, Pelecanus occidentalis californicus
Location: La Jolla, California
Image ID: 37607  

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  

A juvenile 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 non-breeding plumage.
Location: La Jolla, California
Image ID: 38693  

Brown pelican preening, cleaning its feathers after foraging on the ocean, with distinctive winter breeding plumage with distinctive dark brown nape, yellow head feathers, although this one displays a yellow (rather than the usual red) gular throat pouch.
Species: Brown Pelican, Pelecanus occidentalis, Pelecanus occidentalis californicus
Location: La Jolla, California
Image ID: 36683  

Brown pelican portrait, displaying winter plumage with distinctive yellow head feathers and colorful gular throat pouch. Mandible clap, jaw clap.
Species: Brown Pelican, Pelecanus occidentalis, Pelecanus occidentalis californicus
Location: La Jolla, California
Image ID: 36690