Tag: #escape

Pelicans: Freedom to Fly

During the Covid-19 pandemic when our mobility is suddenly limited, I think about the enviable mobility of the birds around us. Here in Florida, we often see brown pelicans soaring through the sky and flying low across the Gulf of Mexico. For birds, mobility equals escape from danger, or the slightest perception of danger. Wouldn’t it be nice if we could fly away from the virus that threatens our health right now?

#pelican, #brownpelican, #florida, #beach, #gulf, #naples, #flight, #inflight, #birdphotography, #wildlifephotography
Brown Pelican in flight over the Gulf of Mexico just off the beach in Pelican Bay, Naples, FL. 2020

Pelicans are fun to watch. They fly in V-shaped formations with numbers ranging from 3 to 20 or more. They are silent, and they never bother people, given us the impression that they are gentle creatures.

#brownpelicans, #pelican, #birdphotography, #wildlifephotography, #formation,#flight, #birdsinflight, #sky, #florida, #naples
Brown Pelicans flying in formation, as seen from the beach below. Naples, FL. 2020

When they forage for fish, they fly close to the surface of the water and then make a steep climb and nosedive to stun the fish with their beaks. Then, they scoop up the fish and a gallon or more of water with their stretchy pouch. Keep watching to see them tip up the beak and swallow the fish whole.