Penny The Pelican

This is my second pelican painting, and I’m excited to introduce you to Penny the Pelican.

The inspiration for Penny came from a friend’s photo of a pelican in Florida. I wanted to try a new technique, so I mimicked a style that uses paper and paint. By dabbing the paper in paint and pressing it onto the canvas, I created this unique scene.

Pelicans are among my top 10 favorite birds. They are fascinating hunters—some species plunge and dive to catch fish. While they typically eat crustaceans, turtles, and amphibians, they’ll eat almost anything that fits down their throats, even other birds. When hunting for fish, pelicans sometimes gather in packs, form a U shape, and flap their wings on the water to herd fish into a tight cluster for easy scooping.

Interestingly, even though pelicans have nasal cavities, they breathe through their mouths. These nasal cavities are special glands that filter excess salt from their bloodstream, which is crucial for their survival.