Dive-Bombing Pelicans Interrupt Graduation in Malibu

Two pelicans with degrees in party crashing swooped down on Pepperdine University’s graduation ceremony Friday and dived into the crowd, adding a surprise to the pomp and circumstance.The brown pelicans, which can dive from about 60 feet in the air when they plunge into shallow ocean waters for food, soared over the cheering audience before one appeared to land in someone’s lap. The second pelican joined the winged interloper for a stroll on the well-manicured grass in front of the surprised audience.  Free or Cheap Things to Do in Los Angeles A man tried to pick up one of the pelicans, receiving a face full of beak when he got too close. Both were eventually shooed away from the ceremony.It’s one of the hazards of having a picturesque campus right next to the ocean in Malibu. Brown pelicans spend most of their time over shallow waters and in sheltered bays along the California coast. Groups often can be seen flying low over the water when they’re feeding, diving head-first to catch their prey. Click Here or Email Your Photos to isee@nbcla.com The seabird with a throat pouch that can store two gallons of water was classified as federal endangered in 1970, but de-listed in 2009. Channel Islands National Park on West Anacapa and Santa Barbara islands off the coast of California are home to the brown pelicans’ only breeding colonies in the western United States.The Channel Islands population faces increased food shortages where they breed, leading some brown pelicans to forage and scavenge for handouts. Stars Honored on Hollywood Walk of Fame in 2018 The non-breeding range extends north to Vancouver, according to the National Park Service.Video Credit: Grant DillionPhoto Credit: Grant Dillion
Source: NBC San Diego