Every summer, thousands of California Brown Pelicans migrate north to the San Francisco Bay area from breeding sites on the Channel Islands and Mexico. As many as 8,000 have been counted on their favorite resting site in the Bay on the isolated breakwater barrier at Alameda Point, known as Breakwater Island or the outer rock wall.
From a distance, the birds blend into the alternating dark and light background of the rocks. A July 22, 2022, kayak excursion to the area provided a telephoto opportunity to share the colors, character, and peaceful demeanor of these iconic birds.
Below is a photo gallery showing some of the thousands that were on the north side of the rock wall that day.
Later in the year as the breeding season approaches, their throat pouch brightens to a poppy red and head feathers turn bright yellow. A few colorful stragglers who are late leaving to migrate south to their Channel Islands and Mexico breeding sites can often be spotted at Alameda Point.
More information about the California Brown Pelican can be found on the National Park Service website
To learn about and support efforts to rescue and rehabilitate injured or struggling Brown Pelicans, visit the International Bird Rescue website. If you spot a pelican with a blue band on its leg, it’s one of the rescue birds from southern California, and International Bird Rescue would appreciate a message about where it was sighted.