We all know La Jolla is known for its' stretch of scenic sandy beaches and salty waves, but if you look up, you are bound to see our local sea birds in flight. These birds of air and sea have adapted to the marine environment in La Jolla, and although they vary in lifestyle, physiology and behavior, they generally live longer, breed later, and have fewer young than other birds.
Most marine bird species nest in colonies and migrate annually, the size of the migration and nest can vary from just a few dozen to millions of birds.
At Hike Bike Kayak, the most widely seen sea bird species are Brandt's Cormorant, and the Brown Pelican.
Brandt's Cormorant (pictured above) is a large, dark water bird especially found in areas with kelp beds such as the La Jolla Ecological Reserve. They specifically inhabit the pacific coast of North America and migrate back and forth from Alaska to the Gulf of California. They nest on the ground or on rocky bluff ledges and mostly feed on fish and crustaceans. The Brandt's Cormorant is especially known for diving below the surface of the water to chase their prey. They usually grab fish in their bill without spearing any. These are very often spotted on our Sea Cave Kayak Tours, as well as our La Jolla Kayak and Snorkel Tours. Occasionally, we've seen them diving for prey from one of our Plunge Bike Tour stops at La Jolla Cove.
Brown Pelicans, like the cormorants, are plunge divers and use their bill and pouch like a net, scooping up fish and water. The water filters out through the sides of their bill.
They can be seen in the air gliding in a V or straight line formation. This is a very common sighting on any of our tours at Hike Bike Kayak...Our Sea Cave Kayak Tour, our La Jolla Plunge Bike Tour, and through the Winter months, our Whale Watching Kayak Tour.
The Brown Pelicans are a conservation success story. Over the 20th century they were hunted for their feathers, killed by fisherman, and their nests were raided for eggs. However, nothing was more devastating than the pesticide DDT. The DDT thinned the shells of eggs causing them to be crushed under the parents weight. The Brown Pelicans were listed by the federal government as an endangered species and in 1972 DDT was banned from the US allowing the gradual recovery to begin. In 2009, Brown Pelicans have recovered to the point that they were removed from the federal endangered species list.
*all images from wikipedia
