Elegant Arrival - Pelican

Pelicans are quite majestic and I love the way they move around rather awkwardly trying to deal with their very large beak. You could mistake them for being rather clumsy. This painting was inspired from a friend who took the photo just when this pelican was landing in the bay. I added a few touches to balance the composition. The buoy floating behind, I added for the small splash of colour. You can almost imagine the sound of the pelican landing in the almost calm waters with the disturbed water trailing behind.

Pelicans are Australian birds, found throughout our waterways. They are Australia’s largest flying bird and have the longest bill of any bird in the world! They use their throat pouch, which can hold up to 13 litres of water, to trawl for fish. Pelicans are not capable of sustained flapping flight, but can remain in the air for 24 hours, covering hundreds of kilometres.