The classic pelican shows up every year.
If you live a long way from the coast like I do there is no choice. Pelicans come in only the large size and one colour combination – brilliant white with classic black and yellowy orange trim. They come equipped with a standard expandable bill that can hold a whopping three gallons of water and, if the pelican is lucky, a fish. However, their best feature is the ability to spread those high-performance wings and effortlessly float for a country mile. The gas mileage is simply unbeatable.
I think I know all about pelicans. They are a joy to behold.
This sure looks like a pelican but the colours are all off!
Then I find myself on the California coast looking at a bird that looks a lot like a pelican, floats like a pelican but the colours are all wrong. It appears like this bird got playing in the mud while getting random brushes of paint all over its head and bill. It’s a fascinating display. This model comes with all the standard pelican features though it’s a smaller version with a few sporty features like a propensity to dive bomb a fish for a snack – you have to admire the attitude. I finally got a close encounter with the a brown pelican.
I take it for a spin with my camera and am duly impressed. This pelicanism works in different models. But which one to choose?
It turns out I’m the sentimental sort and pick the classic model I’m used to seeing every year.
And how do you like your pelicans?
Krahnpix 
I understand why you prefer the classic, familiar one, but since pelicans are very exotic creatures in my eyes, I don’t have that association. They are both amazingly stunning creatures – but I think I have a slight preference for the splashes of paint. What beautiful colour combinations! And, as usual, what incredible photos!
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I cant believe how you placed the head in the cooler backdrop – top notch – I could do with borrowing this for a nature competition we have coming up 🙂
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Thanks. Feel free to use the photo, give all the judges negative comments to me and you can keep the praise. I think this could work.
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They look like having Smiley faces too! I can see why you like them! 🙂
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Yes a smiley face tends to make others like you more even in the wild !
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I can not say any more
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Right on Lyle – super happy that they were working with you! Great flight shots!
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Thanks. It sure makes for a wonderful day when it seems like teamwork! I have great memories of sitting on those rocks by the ocean and watching the pelicans and cormorants fly by.
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What a wonderful bird is the pelican. His beak can hold more than his belly can.
I’ve never seen a brown pelican so I am also going to vote for the last photo.
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I’ve never thot about it terms of the beak and the belly – with me it’s my eyes! I say the more kinds of pelicans the better.
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I love your pelican photos. Just beautiful.
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Glad to hear that. It was my goal to get a decent brown pelican shot on our trip so I’m so pleased they co-operated. Every once in a while it works out that way.
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As with most critters I love ’em all. Great shots Lyle!
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They are pretty easy to love! Glad you enjoyed them.
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I love them both equally, but especially like seeing them dive-bomb! Great flight photos Lyle!
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Thanks. I would have enjoyed seeing that.
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It’s the salt water that makes them brown. 🙂
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I knew there was a good explanation for that.
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Apparently just not mine! (See response from MJF Images)
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I enjoyed your amusing response! Humour is a wonderful alternative.
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I’m glad we’re on the same page on this one!
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I thought it was just their genetics. When they molt their plumage comes in silver and brown, with white and black underneath. When they breed their head and neck area develop that colorful plumage. With all birds the plumage dulls and darkens with age, until the next molting.
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I was attempting to be amusing; I guess I failed! Thanks for your explanation. Birds are much more complicated than I know. We saw more than a dozen California condors yesterday while hiking at Pinnacles National Park. That was amazing!
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I love them both! It’s especially wonderful when we have White Pelican visitors, as we have Brown Pelicans all year round. I love the colors of the adult Brown Pelicans, but the size and beauty of the White Pelicans is awesome.
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That must be a special treat to have both of them where you live. They are incredible creatures. I’m always biased toward the bigger ones.
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I’m a little late to the party, but can’t help but join the emerging consensus for the last shot–the colors, lighting, and details are amazing.
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That shot brings back wonderful memories of sitting on the rocks on the California coast and enjoying the confluence of a beautiful creature, unusual co-operation from a wildlife subject and excellent lighting. Thanks for joining the party.
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Based on your photos, I say it is too heard to choose. You make both species look equally beautiful. Fantastic shots!
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Thanks. They are both incredible and I’m pleased to have a set. Though now I find out there are 8 different kinds of pelicans so it’s not a complete set.
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I agree wholeheartedly that the last image is spellbinding. It has a ‘carved in relief’ quality that I can’t say I’ve ever noticed in another picture of a bird. Amazing! Thank you for sharing, Lyle. You have a lovely way of inviting your readers/viewers to learn more and enter into your enjoyment of the subject matter! Your blog always gets an ‘Open me first!’ response when I open my mail, reminiscent of the ‘little boy inside me responses’ to during Christmases long past. Thanks for the present!
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I’m pleased that you share my wonder and amazement of these beautiful creatures. They really are a gift to us and I so happy to share and get your response.
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I am for any pelican that dive bombs. That is one of the coolest hunting techniques in nature. I like the colors on the pelican on the bottom photo.
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That’s pretty crazy when you think about it. I have heard others describe that it’s quite the show and they are quite reckless with their bodies.
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I like more the classic pelican. 🙂
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It’s a pretty high standard to meet!
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Lovely photographs with such fine details of the feathers, great captures.
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I appreciate that. It was a great evening sitting on the rocks waiting for the pelicans to fly by.
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Boy, that last shot is amazing…don’t you like it when wildlife, every now and then, decides “you know what, I’ll give this photographer a little gift with great lighting and my best smile…” Wonderful.
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Thanks. I’m still smiling at the incredible co-operation I got from that pelican at just the right moment when the light was so good. I feel blessed to have that opportunity especially given the short time I had on the California coast. Maybe it will happen again …
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We have quite a few brown pelicans around here, but I’ve NEVER seen them lit up as nicely as you captured in your last shot. I’m wondering if that orange isn’t something do with breeding plumage. I’m off to see if I can look it up.
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It’s remarkable what a setting sun and a co-operative pelican can provide. I became quite enamoured with the brown pelican – they are welcome to fly up here anytime!
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Nice shots, Lyle. The last is quite impressive. It was very obliging of the pelican to fly into the light that way and show the brilliance of the colors.
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I have thanked him many times and I’m still quite surprised how that all come together so nicely. Ah the power of good light.
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I love pelicans too! Great post.
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Thanks. They continue to mesmerize me with that amazing ability to float.
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Those are great captures, Lyle! I like them both. Quite the wingspan! The brown pelican looks a bit more prehistoric in that last photo. Remember the Flintstones cartoon Pterodactyl Airlines? 🙂
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Prehistoric is definitely right and that ties in nicely with the Flintstones. I remember them and the airline very well. Now I’ll never look at that photo the same way!
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I love Pelicans ! I’ve ever seen 5 on the 8 species of the world, and in the wild… but I haven’t seen yet the American specie ! 🙂
Your last picture is awesome !!!
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I just learned that there were eight species while reading up on pelicans for this post. You’ve done well. I would love to be able to see them all. That last photo is quickly turning into one of my favourites.
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Great captures. I especially like the very top and very bottom ones. For the bottom one it’s almost as though you had studio lighting.
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Thanks. I sure didn’t complain when the pelican flew into the sun and splashed light all over itself. it made for a fun day.
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