Today I’d like to introduce you to the Brown Pelican. Somewhat unafraid of humans, it it relatively easy to photograph them up close, which is a bonus! Elegant in the air, they have beautiful feathers a piercing eyes. So let’s take a deeper dive and learn more.

“The Brown Pelican is a comically elegant bird with an oversized bill, sinuous neck, and big, dark body. Squadrons glide above the surf along southern and western coasts, rising and falling in a graceful echo of the waves. They feed by plunge-diving from high up, using the force of impact to stun small fish before scooping them up. They are fairly common today—an excellent example of a species’ recovery from pesticide pollution that once placed them at the brink of extinction.”

Did you know…

1. While the Brown Pelican is draining the water from its bill after a dive, gulls often try to steal the fish right out of its pouch—sometimes while perching on the pelican’s head. Pelicans themselves are not above stealing fish, as they follow fishing boats and hang around piers for handouts.
2. During a dive, the Brown Pelican tucks its head and rotates its body to the left. This maneuver is probably to cushion the trachea and esophagus—which are found on the right side of the neck—from the impact.
3. These birds plunge into the water to feed. The huge splashes they make can, from out of the corner of your eye, look like a whale’s spout. If you see a splash, look for the bird on the water’s surface as it drains water from its throat pouch, or scan for other pelicans circling around to dive in the same spot.
4. The oldest Brown Pelican on record was 43 years of age.

Want to discover more facts about these fascinating birds? Be sure to visit the Cornell Lab of Ornithology to see this information and much more.