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
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
California Brown Pelican claps its jaws, 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: 38590
Adult California brown pelican in transition from non-breeding to breeding winter plumage. Note the brown hind neck of a breeding brown pelican is just filling in. This pelican already displays the red and olive throat and white and yellow head feathers of an adult winter brown pelican.
Species: Brown Pelican, Pelecanus occidentalis, Pelecanus occidentalis californicus
Location: La Jolla, California
Image ID: 38679
California brown pelican orange morph, preening its feathers while on cliffs over the ocean. While this adult brown pelican exhibits the brown hind neck of a breeding adult, it displays an unusual orange throat rather than the more typical red.
Species: Brown Pelican, Pelecanus occidentalis, Pelecanus occidentalis californicus
Location: La Jolla, California
Image ID: 38688
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