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Photoblogging: Airborne Pelicans

It’s interesting what a small change in wing position does to a photo of a single bird. In this first photo of a Brown Pelican, Pelecanus occidentalis, the forward bend in the wings gives the bird a magnificent, almost regal quality.

This article was published in Scientific American’s former blog network and reflects the views of the author, not necessarily those of Scientific American



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It's interesting what a small change in wing position does to a photo of a single bird. In this first photo of a Brown Pelican, Pelecanus occidentalis, the forward bend in the wings gives the bird a magnificent, almost regal quality. But the illusion of a slight backwards fold in the wings - really due to the spread of the wingtip feathers - makes it seem more playful.

Both were taken on September 21, 2013 in Playa Del Rey, Los Angeles, California with a Canon 60D and Canon 75-300mm f/4.0-5.6 telephoto zoom lens.

Jason G. Goldman is a science journalist based in Los Angeles. He has written about animal behavior, wildlife biology, conservation, and ecology for Scientific American, Los Angeles magazine, the Washington Post, the Guardian, the BBC, Conservation magazine, and elsewhere. He contributes to Scientific American's "60-Second Science" podcast, and is co-editor of Science Blogging: The Essential Guide (Yale University Press). He enjoys sharing his wildlife knowledge on television and on the radio, and often speaks to the public about wildlife and science communication.

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