There’s a federal band (steel) on the right leg of the Brown Pelican in the first shot, but I didn’t see it until I off-loaded my photos. Zooming in, I can’t read any numbers from the shots I took. The blue bands are easier to spot, and were created precisely for that reason: to make it easier for people to see the band numbers and then report banded pelicans. Pelicans are banded at IBRRC (International Bird Rescue Research Center). When the band numbers are reported, birds be tracked, and their survivability can be monitored, after their release from rehabilitation. I’ve reported blue-banded pelicans in the past. IBRRC (International Bird Rescue Research Center) has more information on the pelican project and what it entails.
Photos shot in Redondo Harbor, Southern California.
