By CAITLIN LENG
Published: | Updated:
A pair of pelicans have proven a smile is the best accessory to wear after being captured in a hilarious moment playing with a ball.
Pictures of the birds - taken by wildlife photographer Lea Scaddan - show them jovially playing together at a beach on Safety Bay in Western Australia, with one scooping up an abandoned dog ball from the sands.
The pelican is then shot in a hilarious moment with its mouth agape and the ball inside - with the teeth-motif imprinted on the toy giving the illusion of the bird having a human smile.
The bird then passes the ball to its companion, who keenly accepts.
Talking about the scene, Ms Scaddan said the birds had 'investigated' the dog toy, and rather than eat it, appeared to be 'playing' with it.
She said: 'Two Australian pelicans investigated an abandoned dog ball on a tidal sandbank. The sandbank is accessible to people and their dogs at low tide but becomes cut off as the tide rises.'
A pelican was snapped on an Australian beach scooping up a dog toy with a teeth motif - giving the appearance of the bird having a human smile
Photographer Lea Scaddan said the birds had 'investigated' the ball, which was abandoned after tides became high on the beach
The birds were jovially playing together with the toy at a beach on Safety Bay in Western Australia