#5 Top 20 Week 604
The American white pelican develops a knob on its beak before the breeding season. This happens to both the male and the female. Apparently this is a sign of the bird’s sexual maturity. The knob falls off and reappears during the next breeding season. (copied from online)
This is fascinating! I've watched a lot of pelicans and never seen the knob before, but I guess I've never seen white pelicans during mating season. Great photo of them.
Great capture and interesting info. I've often wondered about those bumps. Our pelicans don't have them, but their bills develop a lot more colour during breeding season.
What a lovely pair!