Updraft Photos

Brown pelican flying over waves and the surf. Pelicans ride the updrafts of waves enabling them to glide long distances while minimizing the energy exerted by flapping wings.
Species: Brown Pelican, Pelecanus occidentalis, Pelecanus occidentalis californicus
Location: La Jolla, California
Image ID: 30199  

California Brown Pelican flying over a breaking wave.
Species: Brown Pelican, Pelecanus occidentalis, Pelecanus occidentalis californicus
Location: La Jolla, California
Image ID: 30364  

California Pelican flying on a wave, riding the updraft from the wave.
Species: Brown Pelican, Pelecanus occidentalis, Pelecanus occidentalis californicus
Image ID: 30257  

California Brown Pelican flying over a breaking wave.
Species: Brown Pelican, Pelecanus occidentalis, Pelecanus occidentalis californicus
Location: La Jolla, California
Image ID: 30353  

California Pelican flying on a wave, riding the updraft from the wave.
Species: Brown Pelican, Pelecanus occidentalis, Pelecanus occidentalis californicus
Image ID: 30313  

California Pelican flying on a wave, riding the updraft from the wave, La Jolla coastline in the distant background.
Species: Brown Pelican, Pelecanus occidentalis, Pelecanus occidentalis californicus
Image ID: 30262  

California Pelican flying on a wave, riding the updraft from the wave.
Species: Brown Pelican, Pelecanus occidentalis, Pelecanus occidentalis californicus
Image ID: 30277  

California Brown Pelican flying over a breaking wave.
Species: Brown Pelican, Pelecanus occidentalis, Pelecanus occidentalis californicus
Location: La Jolla, California
Image ID: 30374  

California Pelican flying on a wave, riding the updraft from the wave.
Species: Brown Pelican, Pelecanus occidentalis, Pelecanus occidentalis californicus
Image ID: 30279  

Wandering albatross in flight, over the open sea. The wandering albatross has the largest wingspan of any living bird, with the wingspan between, up to 12' from wingtip to wingtip. It can soar on the open ocean for hours at a time, riding the updrafts from individual swells, with a glide ratio of 22 units of distance for every unit of drop. The wandering albatross can live up to 23 years. They hunt at night on the open ocean for cephalopods, small fish, and crustaceans. The survival of the species is at risk due to mortality from long-line fishing gear.
Species: Wandering albatross, Diomedea exulans
Location: Southern Ocean
Image ID: 24071  

California Brown Pelicans flying on a wave, riding the updraft from the wave. Encinitas and Carlsbad coastline in the background.
Species: Brown Pelican, Pelecanus occidentalis, Pelecanus occidentalis californicus
Image ID: 30275  

California Pelican flying on a wave, riding the updraft from the wave.
Species: Brown Pelican, Pelecanus occidentalis, Pelecanus occidentalis californicus
Image ID: 30276  

California Pelican flying on a wave, riding the updraft from the wave.
Species: Brown Pelican, Pelecanus occidentalis, Pelecanus occidentalis californicus
Image ID: 30268  

California Brown Pelican flying over sea foam and waves.
Species: Brown Pelican, Pelecanus occidentalis, Pelecanus occidentalis californicus
Location: La Jolla, California
Image ID: 30367  

California Brown Pelican flying over a breaking wave.
Species: Brown Pelican, Pelecanus occidentalis, Pelecanus occidentalis californicus
Location: La Jolla, California
Image ID: 30371  

California Pelican flying on a wave, riding the updraft from the wave.
Species: Brown Pelican, Pelecanus occidentalis, Pelecanus occidentalis californicus
Image ID: 30278  

California Pelican flying on a wave, riding the updraft from the wave.
Species: Brown Pelican, Pelecanus occidentalis, Pelecanus occidentalis californicus
Image ID: 30265  

California Pelican flying on a wave, riding the updraft from the wave.
Species: Brown Pelican, Pelecanus occidentalis, Pelecanus occidentalis californicus
Image ID: 30269  

California Pelican flying on a wave, riding the updraft from the wave.
Species: Brown Pelican, Pelecanus occidentalis, Pelecanus occidentalis californicus
Image ID: 30314  

California Brown Pelican flying over a breaking wave.
Species: Brown Pelican, Pelecanus occidentalis, Pelecanus occidentalis californicus
Location: La Jolla, California
Image ID: 30352  

California Brown Pelican flying over a breaking wave.
Species: Brown Pelican, Pelecanus occidentalis, Pelecanus occidentalis californicus
Location: La Jolla, California
Image ID: 30361  

California Pelican flying on a wave, riding the updraft from the wave.
Species: Brown Pelican, Pelecanus occidentalis, Pelecanus occidentalis californicus
Image ID: 30273  

California Brown Pelican flying over sea foam and waves.
Species: Brown Pelican, Pelecanus occidentalis, Pelecanus occidentalis californicus
Location: La Jolla, California
Image ID: 30369  

California Brown Pelican flying over a breaking wave.
Species: Brown Pelican, Pelecanus occidentalis, Pelecanus occidentalis californicus
Location: La Jolla, California
Image ID: 38648  

California Pelican flying on a wave, riding the updraft from the wave.
Species: Brown Pelican, Pelecanus occidentalis, Pelecanus occidentalis californicus
Image ID: 30264  

California Brown Pelican flying over a breaking wave.
Species: Brown Pelican, Pelecanus occidentalis, Pelecanus occidentalis californicus
Location: La Jolla, California
Image ID: 30382  

California Brown Pelican flying over a breaking wave.
Species: Brown Pelican, Pelecanus occidentalis, Pelecanus occidentalis californicus
Location: La Jolla, California
Image ID: 39841  

California Brown Pelican flying over a breaking wave.
Species: Brown Pelican, Pelecanus occidentalis, Pelecanus occidentalis californicus
Location: La Jolla, California
Image ID: 40498  

California Brown Pelican flying over a breaking wave.
Species: Brown Pelican, Pelecanus occidentalis, Pelecanus occidentalis californicus
Location: La Jolla, California
Image ID: 38649  

California Pelican flying on a wave, riding the updraft from the wave.
Species: Brown Pelican, Pelecanus occidentalis, Pelecanus occidentalis californicus
Image ID: 30258