Riding a Pelican

Gallery: AvianPosted April 29, 20183,681 views4 comments

This was a fun moment from our most recent Texas trip, we were photographing pelicans at the marina when this Laughing Gull decided to go for a ride on the Brown Pelican's head. The pelican didn't seem to mind and swam around for a while before shaking his head to dislodge the gull.
Canon 5D4 100-400 II at 158 1/2500 F8, iso 800

Comments

4 comments

Comment posted by Dennis Plank on April 29, 2018 at 8:43 PM

A cute action shot, Nate. I like the wing position of the gull and the nice eye contact with the pelican.

Registered on January 28, 2008, 1767 Posts, 23192 Comments

Comment posted by Bill Leggett on April 29, 2018 at 9:35 PM

This is something I've never seen, although both species are common around here. Would be curious to know if it's a scavenging behavior for the gull(?)

Registered on July 21, 2004, 706 Posts, 3233 Comments

Comment posted by Nate Chappell on April 29, 2018 at 10:11 PM

Thanks Dennis and Bill. Bill I have also observed this with Heermann's Gulls and Pelicans in Mexico and Terns and Pelicans in Galapagos and it is a scavenging strategy. I think the birds are after any small fish that escape the pelican.

Registered on February 1, 2006, 1158 Posts, 19528 Comments

Comment posted by Genny K. on May 2, 2018 at 2:16 AM

Really??? Smart gull. Good job on this cool shot. Yeah, good eye contact on the pelican.

Registered on June 5, 2006, 132 Posts, 2001 Comments