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I've always been interested in birds since I was a youth. And today I can't seem to go anywhere without my binoculars as I travel. (Yes there were gulls in Laughlin......)

While in Laughlin however, I also photographed the mascots on the Packards that attended the meet. I posted them on FB and now I'm sharing them here too for others to enjoy.

Over time, I always shared that the regal bird we see adorning our Packards is NOT a swan. Folks seem to be interested as I explain, because most never have heard of a cormorant. Cormorants inhabit both coastal and fresh water environments and they are fish eaters.

Anyway, I wonder what in the HE (double-tooth pick) the folks at Packard thought the bird was in 1953? Last night I was relaxing and enjoying a 1953 data book that I've had for years, something jumped out at me from page 41 in the equipment section. "The new swept-back Pelican bonnet ornament adds another speed line, further enhancing Packard's sleekness"

So what is our bird really?

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Thanks Kevin - I enjoy the early "birds" with upswept wings.
I also like the "Egyptian". I always thought the birds were swans, but the bird in the Packard crest is a Pelican. I guess some uppity types think that is not dignified enough, so they started calling it a Cormorant. Whatever you call it, the early versions with upswept wings are gorgeous.
Call them whatever you want, but just enjoy them.

Hey Kevin,

How about the 55 or 56 Sr streamlined cormorants?

BTW, a car manufacturer could not get them past OSHA/EPA today because they're too dangerous with all those sharp edges.

Prior to 55/56, I like the 53/54 curved neck swans with the very long tail going back about 1/2 the hood length (you show 2 examples). IIHC, that's the one that Sue Ann is going to put on her Packard Pickup..

Oh heck, I like them all, like Randy said.

Craig

Here are some digipix I took at the 1999 Centennial meet in Orange CA (PI).

Gold plated, no less:


Reclining naked lady:


Horsehead (what does this signify?)


1955 Senior stylized and streamlined cormorant:

Thanks Randy & Craig,

I've pulled out the Kimes bible and it seems that there has always been controversy about what the bird is or was. Some advertising called it a cormorant in the 20's and Hugh Ferry referred to it as a "pious pelican" in internal documents in the late 40's. I've spent the last half hour on youtube and now I think that our Packard bird is a fusion of several species. Part cormorant, grebe, loon or even pelican, but it doesn't matter. All beautiful examples on our autos should just be enjoyed as you mentioned. I added a couple of other pics.

Have a good evening gentlemen.

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I like the gold one! I have thought about obtaining a nice 1951 ornament, mounting several small strong magnets in the base and positioning it on the hood of the Caribbean at cruises. Now before the purists scream at me, I will remind you it is my automobile and "beauty is in the eye..."
Naturally I would remove it while driving, but in my mind's eye it would still be there.

Is the gold one original? I've seen a photo of a gold bird and base, but only one. I do so enjoy the Packard hood ornaments, they give our cars such distinction

The horse head signifies the taste and desire of the car's original owner, who started Maybelline. There was never another ornament on the car, which was custom built by Bohmann & Schwartz.

Cormorants are related to Pelicans, per this excerpt in Wikipedia:

...all evidence agrees that the cormorants and shags are closer to the darters and Sulidae (gannets and boobies), and perhaps the pelicans and/or even penguins, than to all other living birds. (Kennedy et al. (2000), Mayr (2005))

Though I always refer to it as a Cormorant, I think calling it a Pelican would also be acceptable.