The Brown Pelican (Pelecanus occidentalis) is a well-known inhabitant of coastal waterways in the southeast US and in California; the way they glide gracefully just above the surf is difficult to miss. Although their population was driven to near extinction in the 1970s due to pesticides like DDT, the pelicans have rebounded and are now doing quite well. This pelican was roosting on a rocky outcropping in La Jolla, California, shortly before leaving for the Channel Islands to breed.
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