Subject: [Tweeters] White Pelicans Nisqually
Date: Tue Jun 26 15:46:32 PDT 2018
From: Dave Slager - dave.slager at gmail.com

Hi John,

This time of year American White Pelicans undergo a presupplemental
head molt. Some individuals get an impressive amount of blackish on
the head and neck, and your photo is a great example of the variation
seen among individuals. The timing of this molt generally coincides
with the loss of the bill horn during the breeding season. You can
read more about it here:

https://sora.unm.edu/sites/default/files/journals/condor/v077n03/p0356-p0359.pdf

Good birding,

Dave Slager
Seattle, WA

On Mon, Jun 25, 2018 at 4:43 PM, John Whitehead <jirvingw at comcast.net> wrote:

> A flock of some 28 American White Pelicans way out off Nisqually Reach. I

> noticed several had black caps. One had black on almost its whole head and

> neck. I did a brief online search found nothing like that. Some Brown

> Pelicans are some what dark on the back of the neck. ???? Juveniles?

> Hybrids ? Photos on my Fliker page

> https://www.flickr.com/photos/jirvingw/42960088542/in/dateposted-public/ .

>

> John

>

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