Brown Pelican (Pelecanus occidentalis)

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The Brown Pelican

The Brown Pelican (Pelecanus occidentalis) is the state bird of Louisiana, and they are listed as endangered in almost all of their habitats. The prime reason for this is pesticide. In the 1940s to 1970s, pesticides with the chemical DDT were used heavily to control insects. Pelicans would then eat fish that were contaminated with the chemical, and it resulted in eggs with very thin shells, and very few young pelicans survived. Populations are starting to turn around now, however, since use of DDT was banned.

Brown Pelicans are found in coastal areas in the southern United States, Mexico, Central America, and South America. In Mexico, they are found on both coasts, Atlantic, which includes the Gulf of Mexico, and Pacific. They are often found on small islands and sandbars and are rarely seen inland. They use sandbars to rest in the sun and roost at night, and islands are used for nesting and mating. They are social and live in flocks that are made up of birds of both sexes.

The Brown Pelican is the smallest species of pelican, only reaching a length of 42-54 inches (110-140 cm. The most distinguishing and recognizable feature of the pelican is its extremely long, pocketed bill that expands when fishing. Normally, the bill is a deep orange color. Young pelicans are generally colored a grayish-brown over their entire bodies, but this changes as the bird reaches maturity. The color of the feathers of adult pelicans changes during the breeding season, but non-breeding adults have brown feathers on their bodies with white underneath, a white head and neck with a yellowish hue. When the adults are breeding, during the courtship phase the feathers on the back of the neck are brown, while the other colors are the same. Later in the season, when the young pelicans are born and being fed, the neck feathers change to black. During the entire breeding season, the bill changes from orange to black.

Brown Pelicans feed by diving into the water, sometimes from as high as 60 feet (20 meters), and using their large bills to catch fish. Once it surfaces with its bill full of fish, it will allow the water to drain and then eat the fish by tossing its head back. They primarily eat fish called Menhaden, which are typically inedible for humans. They will also eat many other kinds of fish, including herring and minnows, and have also been known to eat crustaceans.

Brown Pelicans usually reach full sexual maturity at about three years of age. Male pelicans will choose a site for nesting and then attract a female. He will then bring her nesting materials, such as sticks and grasses. The female will build a nest either in a tree or on the ground and then will lay two to four eggs into it. Males and females are cooperative and both take turns sitting on the eggs to keep them warm until they hatch, which usually takes approximately 30 days. Again, the males and females cooperate and both share in the feeding of the newly born pelicans. Pelicans born into ground nests will start leaving the nest after about 30 days, exploring their surroundings on foot. The birds that are born into tree nests, however, must wait 60-80 days before they can leave the nest as they must fly.

Did You Know? Brown Pelicans have air sacs under their skin and in their bones that helps them fly and gives them extra buoyancy and grace in the air.

Further Information on the Brown Pelican:

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Bibliography:
Brown Pelican. Encarta Encyclopedia, © 2000.
Pelecanus occidentalis. Accessed on 8/25/04 at http://www.vivanatura.org/Pelecanus%20occidentalis.html.
Brown Pelican, Pelecanus occidentalis occidentalis. Accessed on 08/25/04 at http://endangered.fws.gov/i/b/sab2s.html.
Georgia Wildlife Web Site; birds: Pelecanus occidentalis. Accessed on 08/25/04 at http://museum.nhm.uga.edu/gawildlife/birds/pelecaniformes/poccidentalis.html.