{"id":40714,"date":"2016-07-29T05:15:58","date_gmt":"2016-07-29T11:15:58","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/?p=40714"},"modified":"2025-09-28T07:58:04","modified_gmt":"2025-09-28T12:58:04","slug":"an-extreme-variation-of-supplemental-plumage-in-an-american-white-pelican","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/2016\/07\/29\/an-extreme-variation-of-supplemental-plumage-in-an-american-white-pelican\/","title":{"rendered":"An Extreme Variation of Supplemental Plumage in an American White Pelican"},"content":{"rendered":"

\"AmericanAmerican White Pelican in Supplemental Plumage – Nikon D810, f6.3, 1\/6400, ISO 400, -0.7 EV, Nikkor 500mm VR with 1.4x TC, natural light<\/span><\/p>\n

Two days ago while on the auto tour loop at Bear River MBR<\/span><\/a> an American White Pelican caught my eyes because of its unusually dark crown, nape, and neck plumage. I just had to photograph it. I have never seen such an extreme variation of supplemental plumage in an American White Pelican and might never again.<\/p>\n

\"FluffyFluffy American White Pelican in summer plumage \u2013 Nikon D810, f8, 1\/3200, ISO 400, -0.7 EV, Nikkor 500mm VR with 1.4x TC, natural light<\/span><\/p>\n

There is some expected variation in the Supplemental Plumage<\/span><\/a> of American White Pelicans in the amount of dark feathers on the crown and nape. The pelican above shows a more “normal” Supplemental (summer) Plumage. Note the sparsity of the dark feathers on the crown compared to the pelican I photographed two days ago.<\/p>\n

\"SideSide view of an American White Pelican in an extreme variation of Supplemental Plumage – Nikon D810, f6.3, 1\/5000, ISO 400, -0.3 EV, Nikkor 500mm VR with 1.4x TC, natural light<\/span><\/p>\n

The nearly black feathers of the unusual pelican I photographed two days ago extend way down its neck and it also covers a large portion of the back of the pelican’s head. I also noticed that the iris of this bird is very dark as well.<\/p>\n

\"AmericanAmerican White Pelican in Summer or Supplemental Plumage – Nikon D810, f6.3, 1\/5000, ISO 400, -0.3 EV, Nikkor 500mm VR with 1.4x TC, natural light<\/span><\/p>\n

After coming home and looking at the images I took of this pelican I searched the internet and couldn’t find another image that showed this much of a variation in this plumage phase in American White Pelicans. Images may be out there, I just could not find them. I also don’t know what would cause an extreme variation like this.<\/p>\n

I had to laugh though because it looks like this pelican has been hanging out with Western and Clark’s Grebes at the refuge for too long because they also sport the dark stripe running from their crowns down the backs of their necks.<\/p>\n

I never know what I will see when I am out in the field with birds.<\/p>\n

Life is<\/em> good.<\/p>\n

Mia<\/p>\n

Click here<\/a><\/span> to see more of my American White Pelican photos plus facts and information about this species.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Two days ago while on the auto tour loop at Bear River MBR an American White Pelican caught my eyes because of its unusually dark crown, nape, and neck plumage.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":158263,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"jetpack_post_was_ever_published":false,"_jetpack_newsletter_access":"","_jetpack_dont_email_post_to_subs":true,"_jetpack_newsletter_tier_id":0,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paywalled_content":false,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paid_content":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[3,124,27,1148,80,26],"tags":[4004,3966,12778,5080,12777,4094,5328,5329,4,706,5330,2315,4645,5258,1006,12776,4095],"class_list":["post-40714","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-white-pelicans","category-bear-river-migratory-bird-refuge","category-avian","category-box-elder-county-utah","category-locations","category-utah","tag-adult","tag-american-white-pelican","tag-black-feathers","tag-crown","tag-extreme","tag-marsh","tag-nape","tag-neck","tag-pelican","tag-pelicans","tag-plumage-phase","tag-summer-3","tag-summer-plumage","tag-supplemental-plumage","tag-unusual","tag-variation","tag-wetlands"],"aioseo_notices":[],"jetpack_featured_media_url":"https:\/\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/09\/american-white-pelican-dark-supplemental-plumage-mia-mcpherson-6833.jpg","jetpack_shortlink":"https:\/\/wp.me\/p11Mom-aAG","jetpack_sharing_enabled":true,"jetpack-related-posts":[{"id":40322,"url":"https:\/\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/2016\/07\/04\/american-white-pelican-in-summer-plumage\/","url_meta":{"origin":40714,"position":0},"title":"American White Pelican in summer plumage","author":"Mia McPherson","date":"July 4, 2016","format":false,"excerpt":"I wanted to share an image of an American White Pelican in summer plumage today because summer is upon us and today marks America's Independence Day.","rel":"","context":"In "American White Pelicans"","block_context":{"text":"American White Pelicans","link":"https:\/\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/category\/avian\/pelicans\/white-pelicans\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"Fluffy American White Pelican in summer plumage, Bear River Migratory Bird Refuge, Box Elder County, Utah","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/09\/american-white-pelican-mia-mcpherson-9092.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/09\/american-white-pelican-mia-mcpherson-9092.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1 1x, 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