124 



Red-billed Tropicbirds are quite rare in these waters. They are 

 most likely to be found from San Diego south although individuals have 

 been reported as far north as Washington. They are most likely to 

 appear between May and October. 



PELICANS (PELECANIDAE) 



There are few marine birds larger than pelicans. The large, uniquely 

 shaped bill and the fact that all four toes are joined by webs (Plate 

 36-4), in conjunction with the huge body should distinguish most speci- 

 mens. The Great Blue Heron is bluish-gray in color and has a very long, 

 thin neck and legs; an albatross has much longer and thinner wings 

 (compared to the pelican's very broad wings) as well as only three of 

 its toes joined by webs. The largest Canada Goose, if headless and 

 footless, would be the most similar and would have to be distinguished 

 on the basis of color pattern. The pelican would not have a black 

 neck and tail . 



WHITE PELICAN (Pelecanus erythrorhynchos; choice 8, pg. 17) IS 



entirely white except for black primaries. Feet and bill are yellowish- 

 green (except during breeding season). They are present along the coast 

 from northern California south only from fall to early spring. The 

 remainder of the year they spend at inland nesting areas. 



BROWN PELICAN (Pelecanus occidentalism choices 9 and 9', pg. 17 ) is 

 mostly brown, except that immatures have white bellies and adults have a 

 good deal of white on the head and neck. The bill is mostly brown 

 (intensifying to reddish during breeding) and the feet blackish. Brown 

 Pelicans occur from British Columbia south during the period from late 

 summer to mid-winter, and occur year round from southern California 

 south. During some years they may occur year round in low numbers as 

 far north as northern California. 



BOOBIES (SULIDAE) 



Boobies are relatively large seabirds about the size of loons (but not as 

 heavy) and the largest gulls. They have long, wedge-shaped tails, and 

 all four toes are connected by webs (Plate 36-4). The middle toenail is 

 flared to the side and finely cut. It appears much like a curved hair 

 comb (Fig. 17). The bill is stout and sharply pointed with serrated, 

 sharp edges (Plate 8). If the keys are followed closely, there should 

 be little problem in separating the four species in this group. 



BLUE-FACED (MASKED) BOOBY (Sula dactylatra; choices 5' and 7, pg. 31) 

 could be encountered on rare occasions from central Baja California south. 



