Pelican Head Throw

See my Guide to Photographing Pelicans in La Jolla.

Here are a few photos of California brown pelicans performing the pelican head throw, also known as the pelican bill throw. It looks painful. The brown pelican lifts its large bill up, arches its neck back until the throat gular pouch is stretched and taut, holds this position for a moment, and lowers its bill again. Sometimes it will open its jaw during the head throw, other times it will precede or follow the bill throw by bending its neck such that the throat pouch is turned inside out. Strange. Check out this bird, it is one of my favorite species and truly bizarre. I’ve seen one bird photo specialist refer to the head throw behaviour as “elusive”, however in my experience the head throw is quite easy to capture on film provided you are reasonably observant and can put your lens on the subject in a timely manner.

California Brown Pelican head throw, stretching its throat to keep it flexible and healthy, Pelecanus occidentalis, Pelecanus occidentalis californicus, La Jolla

California Brown Pelican head throw, stretching its throat to keep it flexible and healthy.
Image ID: 41460
Species: Brown Pelican, Pelecanus occidentalis, Pelecanus occidentalis californicus
Location: La Jolla, California

California Brown Pelican head throw, stretching its throat to keep it flexible and healthy, winter adult mating plumage, Pelecanus occidentalis, Pelecanus occidentalis californicus, La Jolla

California Brown Pelican head throw, stretching its throat to keep it flexible and healthy, winter adult mating plumage.
Image ID: 41535
Species: Brown Pelican, Pelecanus occidentalis, Pelecanus occidentalis californicus
Location: La Jolla, California

California Brown Pelican head throw, stretching its throat to keep it flexible and healthy, winter adult mating plumage, Pelecanus occidentalis, Pelecanus occidentalis californicus, La Jolla

California Brown Pelican head throw, stretching its throat to keep it flexible and healthy, winter adult mating plumage.
Image ID: 41548
Species: Brown Pelican, Pelecanus occidentalis, Pelecanus occidentalis californicus
Location: La Jolla, California

A Perfect Yellow Phase Brown Pelican Head Throw with Distant Ocean in Background, bending over backwards, stretching its neck and gular pouch. Note the winter breeding plumage except with bright yellow throat instead of the more typical red, yellow head, pink skin around the eye, brown hind neck with some white neck side detail, gray breast and body, Pelecanus occidentalis, Pelecanus occidentalis californicus, La Jolla, California

A Perfect Yellow Phase Brown Pelican Head Throw with Distant Ocean in Background, bending over backwards, stretching its neck and gular pouch. Note the winter breeding plumage except with bright yellow throat instead of the more typical red, yellow head, pink skin around the eye, brown hind neck with some white neck side detail, gray breast and body.
Image ID: 40809
Species: Brown Pelican, Pelecanus occidentalis, Pelecanus occidentalis californicus
Location: La Jolla, California

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

California Brown Pelican head throw, stretching its throat to keep it flexible and healthy. Adult winter non-breeding plumage.
Image ID: 30174
Species: Brown Pelican, Pelecanus occidentalis, Pelecanus occidentalis californicus
Location: La Jolla, California

Perfect Brown Pelican Head Throw in Winter Breeding Plumage, pelican leans its head way back to stretch its throat pounch and neck, Pelecanus occidentalis californicus, Pelecanus occidentalis

Perfect Brown Pelican Head Throw in Winter Breeding Plumage, pelican leans its head way back to stretch its throat pounch and neck.
Image ID: 39884
Species: Brown Pelican, Pelecanus occidentalis californicus, Pelecanus occidentalis

A Perfect Brown Pelican Head Throw with Distant Ocean in Background, bending over backwards, stretching its neck and gular pouch. Note the winter breeding plumage, yellow head, red and olive throat, pink skin around the eye, brown hind neck with some white neck side detail, gray breast and body, Pelecanus occidentalis, Pelecanus occidentalis californicus, La Jolla, California

A Perfect Brown Pelican Head Throw with Distant Ocean in Background, bending over backwards, stretching its neck and gular pouch. Note the winter breeding plumage, yellow head, red and olive throat, pink skin around the eye, brown hind neck with some white neck side detail, gray breast and body.
Image ID: 40794
Species: Brown Pelican, Pelecanus occidentalis, Pelecanus occidentalis californicus
Location: La Jolla, California

Brown Pelican Head Throw with Distant Cliffs in Background, partially side lit at sunrise, Pelecanus occidentalis, Pelecanus occidentalis californicus, La Jolla, California

Brown Pelican Head Throw with Distant Cliffs in Background, partially side lit at sunrise.
Image ID: 38866
Species: Brown Pelican, Pelecanus occidentalis, Pelecanus occidentalis californicus
Location: La Jolla, California

A perfect Brown Pelican Head Throw with Distant Ocean in Background, bending over backwards, stretching its neck and gular pouch, winter adult non-breeding plumage coloration, Pelecanus occidentalis, Pelecanus occidentalis californicus, La Jolla, California

A perfect Brown Pelican Head Throw with Distant Ocean in Background, bending over backwards, stretching its neck and gular pouch, winter adult non-breeding plumage coloration.
Image ID: 38937
Species: Brown Pelican, Pelecanus occidentalis, Pelecanus occidentalis californicus
Location: La Jolla, California

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

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.
Image ID: 40239
Species: Brown Pelican, Pelecanus occidentalis, Pelecanus occidentalis californicus
Location: La Jolla, California

A perfect Brown Pelican Head Throw with Distant Ocean in Background, bending backwards, stretching its neck and gular pouch, winter adult breeding plumage coloration, Pelecanus occidentalis, Pelecanus occidentalis californicus, La Jolla, California

A perfect Brown Pelican Head Throw with Distant Ocean in Background, bending backwards, stretching its neck and gular pouch, winter adult breeding plumage coloration.
Image ID: 40252
Species: Brown Pelican, Pelecanus occidentalis, Pelecanus occidentalis californicus
Location: La Jolla, California

California Brown Pelican head throw, stretching its throat to keep it flexible and healthy. Note the winter breeding plumage, olive and red throat, yellow head, Pelecanus occidentalis, Pelecanus occidentalis californicus, La Jolla

California Brown Pelican head throw, stretching its throat to keep it flexible and healthy. Note the winter breeding plumage, olive and red throat, yellow head.
Image ID: 30413
Species: Brown Pelican, Pelecanus occidentalis, Pelecanus occidentalis californicus
Location: La Jolla, California

California Brown Pelican head throw, stretching its throat to keep it flexible and healthy. Note the winter mating plumage, olive and red throat, yellow head, Pelecanus occidentalis, Pelecanus occidentalis californicus, La Jolla

California Brown Pelican head throw, stretching its throat to keep it flexible and healthy. Note the winter mating plumage, olive and red throat, yellow head.
Image ID: 37566
Species: Brown Pelican, Pelecanus occidentalis, Pelecanus occidentalis californicus
Location: La Jolla, California

Brown pelican glottis exposure. This pelican is inverting its throat and stretching it over its neck and chest in an effort to stretch and rearrange tissues of the mouth and throat, Pelecanus occidentalis californicus, Pelecanus occidentalis

Brown pelican glottis exposure. This pelican is inverting its throat and stretching it over its neck and chest in an effort to stretch and rearrange tissues of the mouth and throat.
Image ID: 39897
Species: Brown Pelican, Pelecanus occidentalis californicus, Pelecanus occidentalis

California Brown Pelican head throw, stretching its throat to keep it flexible and healthy. Note the winter mating plumage, olive and red throat, yellow head, Pelecanus occidentalis, Pelecanus occidentalis californicus, La Jolla

California Brown Pelican head throw, stretching its throat to keep it flexible and healthy. Note the winter mating plumage, olive and red throat, yellow head.
Image ID: 30412
Species: Brown Pelican, Pelecanus occidentalis, Pelecanus occidentalis californicus
Location: La Jolla, California

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I am a natural history photographer. I enjoy making compelling images in the ocean, on land, and in the air. I have maintained the Natural History Photography blog since 2005 and my searchable Natural History Photography Library since 1997. Here are some tear sheets and behind the scenes views. Thanks for looking!

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