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Brown pelican        Images © Mark A. Chappell

As the early winter breeding season approaches, California brown pelicans change from a conservative gray-and-white coloration to a much brighter appearance, with a bright red flush to the throat pouch, a rich brownish hindneck contrasting with the yellowish head plumes, and a black-and-white 'frame' on the bottom of the pouch.  Most of these birds were on a rocky cliff in La Jolla, California, but the two in the next-to-last row were photographed in Florida; this race lacks the colorful red throat sported by the California brown pelican in breeding season.   More pelican pictures: fishing birds here; flight pictures here; swimming pictures here

  • Canon EOS1v, 500 mm f4 IS lens with 1.4X converter, Elite Chrome Extra Color (2003)
  • Canon 10D, 1D Mk. II, or 7D, 500 mm f4 IS lens with 1.4X or 2X converter, or 800 mm IS lens, fill-in flash (2004, 2005, 2006, 2008, 2010)