NEWPORT BEACH : Birds a Big Part of the Dory Story

Both in local lore and in city records, the century-old dory fishermen fleet, with its one-man boats and traditional catching techniques, is a well-documented group.

But what is perhaps less known to visitors at the fresh fish market operated by the fishermen are the big, beautiful birds that perch atop the market’s roofs, peering at the day’s catch and swooping down for some free grub whenever they get the chance.

The huge birds, mostly local pelicans, look almost prehistoric--they would seem to be more comfortable soaring with pterodactyls than sharing the sky with pigeons. In the mornings, they can be seen sitting like statues atop the roofs, with only their eyes giving away the fact that they are alive.

The birds are most abundant at the market during the winter months, though no one is sure why. Most every morning when the catch is lugged ashore, dozens of birds can be seen eyeing the goodies.

The birds are primarily pelicans, with a few sea gulls mixed in. The pelicans will extend their long, narrow beaks over the rooftop to accept a gooey fish-head or an entire fish.

“They’re kind of nice and kind of a pain,” said Rick Breneman, a fisherman with the fleet since 1972. “They’re kind of colorful, but they make a big mess.”

Breneman points to the rooftop where bird droppings speckle the otherwise rustic brown roof. And as much as the fishermen try to feed the birds, the feathered scavengers all too often help themselves.

Breneman said the fishermen often bring fish byproducts--heads and other parts usually not sold--out to the beach for the birds to eat, but the birds often will simply steal a few from the catch while the fishermen are busy cutting and cleaning.

Despite the love-hate relationship the fishermen have with the birds, most agree that they’re as much a part of dory lore as the ritual of waking up before dawn, riding out to the ocean and catching fish the old-fashioned way, without complicated mechanisms or destructive nets.

There was, for example, the one-legged Herman’s gull who came back every year for six years, and Pelican Pete, a favorite because he preferred to be hand-fed.

Some of the memories aren’t so pleasant, however. The fishermen recalled the oil-soaked birds that showed up after the Huntington Beach oil spill in February, 1990, landing on the fish market roof covered with goo and looking lifeless.