I'll be danged, it is a myth as confirmed by the Cornell Ornithology Lab: <http://www.birds.cornell.edu/allaboutbirds/faq/unusual_questions/document_view>
Brown pelicans are truly colorful birds: <http://mendonomasightings.blogspot.com/> (Scroll to Thursday, April 26, 2012.) The iridescent blue seen on these birds seems filter out in this photo, but it's still a great shot. (The photographer has exceptional high end equipment and numerous opportunities to obtain spectacular shots, but a tendency to go overboard with Photoshop filters. Some suspect he's color blind.) On Apr 25, 2012, at 6:29 PM, Brian Lawson wrote: > On Apr 25, 2012, at 7:09 PM, Francis Drouillard wrote: > >> On Apr 25, 2012, at 3:26 PM, Bruce Johnson wrote: >> >>> Those eyes are kinda piercing… >> >> Our campfire is about 400 feet from an osprey nest high atop a magnificent >> redwood. We'd hear the chicks' loud peeping through the dense redwoods, but >> we could never see them. One day I found a small opening through the trees >> that looked right at the nest. I set up a transit to get a better look only >> to see one of the adults staring at me through that same small opening. They >> truly have incredible eyesight. >> >>> >>> I also like the pelicans. Ages ago, we visited San Francisco and on one of >>> the beaches our friend took us to we watched a sizeable flock of them >>> skimming along, very pterodactylish. I have some pics squirreled away in >>> boxes at home...this was very much pre-digital photography in my household. >> >> We've some friends that are expert birders. Apparently, pelicans don't die >> of old age -- they go eventually go blind as a result of diving then starve >> to death. > > Apparently this is a commonly repeated myth. > > Did you know that pelicans go blind from the trauma their eyes sustain when > diving for food? Then, being unable to hunt, they die of starvation. Several > readers recently approached me with this bit of (mis)information; a result of > the periodic resurfacing of an unfounded myth postulated by ill-informed eco > tour guides. Unfortunately, while doing research for this article I also > found the same misinformation repeated on alleged “educational” websites. > <http://www.allatsea.net/caribbean/brown-pelicans---myths-and-facts-part-i/> > > Another page on the same site reports that they have air sacs padding their > bodies to cushion the impact. > > Also, <http://www.scienceworld.ca/swog/do-pelicans-go-blind-from-diving> > > However, it is the only pelican species (there are 8) to dive for its food. > <http://www.allaboutbirds.org/guide/brown_pelican/id> > > I'm going to Santa Monica next week and I hope to get some pictures of them. > There is a bird refuge down the coast where there large squadrons of > pelicans. Unfortunately the last time I was there I did not have my camera. > -- > Brian > > > -- > You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google Groups > "StrataList-OT" group. > To post to this group, send email to [email protected]. > To unsubscribe from this group, send email to > [email protected]. > For more options, visit this group at > http://groups.google.com/group/stratalist-ot?hl=en. -- You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google Groups "StrataList-OT" group. To post to this group, send email to [email protected]. To unsubscribe from this group, send email to [email protected]. For more options, visit this group at http://groups.google.com/group/stratalist-ot?hl=en.
