![Waterskiing American white pelican Waterskiing American white pelican](https://photos.smugmug.com/Tonys-Takes/n-hsSJf/2024/05-04-2024-St-Vrain-Pelicans-Great-Blue-Herons/i-VjfWf42/0/Chkx2sTDb955LMCq8nshfMr2XJjzHG3sSj5M7MwSx/X4/20240504%2008-39-31%200378-Edit-X4.jpg)
Who knew they could do this? This one has almost as good of form as I did back in the day! 😀
My wife absolutely loves this goofy-looking but graceful birds so I am required to take pictures of them whenever the opportunity presents itself. This past Saturday there were a few hanging out so I obliged her desire with this one as it came in for a landing.
You will notice the “bump” on the top of the pelican’s beak. This is called a caruncle. Both males and females sport them during mating season. Its function is unknown but guessed to be a display of fertility.