Pelicans in North America
Pelicans are fascinating birds that are widely distributed across the world, with some species being endemic to certain geographical locations. In North America, two distinct species of pelicans can be found – the American White Pelican and the
Brown Pelican.
In this article, we will explore the anatomy, characteristics, breeding habits, diet, and hunting techniques of pelicans. We will also delve deeper into the American White Pelican, examining its appearance, breeding and migration patterns, habitat and foraging habits, calls, nesting, and fun facts.
North American Pelican Species
The American White Pelican and the
Brown Pelican are the two species of pelicans found in North America. The American White Pelican is the larger of the two species, measuring up to 70 inches in length and having a wingspan of up to 110 inches.
The
Brown Pelican is slightly smaller, with a length of up to 55 inches and a wingspan of up to 85 inches. Both species are easily recognizable by their huge bills and throat pouches, which they use for collecting and storing food.
The American White Pelican has white plumage with black flight feathers, bluish-gray eyes, orange bills, and pale orange pouches and feet, while the
Brown Pelican has brownish-gray plumage, a yellowish head, and a dark brown bill.
Anatomy and Characteristics of Pelicans
Pelicans are known for their iconic bills and throat pouches, which are some of their most recognizable features. They also have light bodies and long wings, which enable them to soar and glide effortlessly through the air.
Pelicans also possess air pockets in their bones, which make them buoyant and enable them to float effortlessly on water. Pelicans are also strong and powerful swimmers, using their webbed feet to paddle and steer through the water.
When diving for prey, pelicans fold their wings and tuck their head to minimize the impact with the water.
Breeding Habits of Pelicans
Pelicans are ground-nesting birds, with some species also nesting in trees. During the breeding season, pelicans congregate in large groups known as creches.
Breeding pairs will build simple nests out of twigs, sticks, and reeds to protect their eggs and chicks. Pelican chicks are born naked and helpless, and both parents take turns caring for them and providing them with food.
Pelican parents are selective in their feeding, ensuring that the larger and stronger chicks are well-fed, often resulting in siblicide, where the weaker chick is killed or starved.
Diet of Pelicans
Pelicans are opportunistic feeders that eat a wide variety of prey, depending on their location and availability. Their primary source of food is fish, but they also eat crabs, frogs, snakes, mammals, birds, and even insects.
Pelicans use their unique throat pouches to scoop and store fish, before swallowing them whole. They are skilled hunters, often foraging for food in groups and using strategic approaches to ensure success.
Hunting Techniques of Pelicans
Pelicans are skilled hunters that use their throat pouches to scoop and store fish before swallowing them whole. They are known to forage in groups, using strategic approaches to ensure that they catch as much prey as possible.
Some species of pelicans also engage in opportunistic feeding, taking advantage of the movements of schools of fish to catch them.
American White Pelican
Appearance and Characteristics of American White Pelican
The American White Pelican is a large bird that measures up to 70 inches in length and has a wingspan of up to 110 inches. They are easily recognizable by their white plumage with black flight feathers, bluish-gray eyes, orange bills, and pale orange pouches and feet.
During the breeding season, American White Pelicans have small horns on their bills, which fall off afterward. They are social birds that often congregate in large flocks, soaring gracefully through the air.
Breeding and Migration of American White Pelican
Inland breeding in North America is a key feature of the American White Pelican. During the breeding season, they nest in large colonies near freshwater lakes and wetlands.
Once the breeding season is over, American White Pelicans migrate to warmer climates, such as the southern Pacific Coast and Gulf of Mexico, where they remain until the following breeding season.
Habitat and Foraging of American White Pelican
American White Pelicans are known to inhabit freshwater lakes, wetlands, edges of lakes and rivers, coastal bays, inlets, and estuaries. They are skilled and efficient foragers that use their keen eyesight to spot their prey from above.
Once they have spotted their prey, they plunge their bills into the water, using their throat pouches to scoop up fish.
Calls and Nesting of American White Pelican
American White Pelicans are generally silent birds, with the exception of occasional grunts and hissing sounds. During breeding season, males can be heard making deep, throaty vocalizations to attract females.
American White Pelicans nest on the ground, building simple depressions out of twigs, sticks, and reeds. Incubation can last up to thirty-six days, with both parents taking turns caring for the eggs.
The chicks are born naked, helpless, and dependent on their parents for food.
Fun Facts about American White Pelican
The American White Pelican’s bill is capable of holding up to three gallons of water. During the breeding season, the American White Pelican has a distinctive appearance characterized by a small horn on its bill.
The American White Pelican undergoes eclipse molting, changing the appearance of its feathers to become more drab during the off-breeding season.
Conclusion
Pelicans are fascinating birds that are widely recognized for their huge bills and throat pouches. The American White Pelican is the largest pelican species found in North America and is easily recognizable by its white plumage and large size.
Pelicans are skilled and efficient hunters, foraging in groups and using strategic approaches to catch their prey. Understanding the anatomy, characteristics, diet, breeding habits, and hunting techniques of pelicans enhances our appreciation of these magnificent birds.
Brown Pelican
The
Brown Pelican is one of the distinct pelican species found in North America, known for their unique appearance and hunting behavior. In this article, we will explore the anatomy, characteristics, differences between Pacific and Atlantic
Brown Pelicans, breeding and migration, habitat and foraging habits, calls, nesting, and fun facts about the
Brown Pelican.
Appearance and Characteristics of
Brown Pelican
The
Brown Pelican is a large bird with pale yellow foreheads, white heads and necks, grayish-brown bodies, short black legs, and webbed feet. They have a distinct bill that is yellow and orange, with a hook at the end.
Their bills are used as a tool to catch fish, scooping them up from the water using their unique throat pouch.
Brown Pelicans are also renowned for their distinctive flight, soaring high before diving into the water to catch fish.
Differences in Pacific and Atlantic
Brown Pelicans
The
Brown Pelican is found on both the Pacific and Atlantic Coasts of North America, as well as in northern South America. There are some key differences between the Pacific and Atlantic
Brown Pelicans that distinguish them from one another.
Atlantic
Brown Pelicans have olive-brown throat pouches, while Pacific
Brown Pelicans have red throat pouches. Pacific
Brown Pelicans also have darker brown napes than Atlantic
Brown Pelicans.
Breeding and Migration of
Brown Pelican
Brown Pelicans are either resident or migratory, depending on their location. Those on both the Atlantic and Pacific Coasts of North America, for example, breed during the winter months and then migrate north during the summer to take advantage of the abundant food supply.
Some populations of brown pelicans, however, are resident, remaining in their breeding grounds throughout the year. These resident birds tend to live in warmer regions such as those in Central and South America.
Habitat and Foraging of
Brown Pelican
Brown Pelicans are found in shallow water environments, where they forage for fish. They are commonly seen in estuaries, coastal marine habitats, mangrove islets, and sandbars.
Brown Pelicans also rest on offshore rocks and use these areas as take-off platforms for their diving behaviors.
Brown Pelicans are unique in their way of catching prey, using their bills to scoop up fish while in-shore and diving deep in the ocean when out to sea.
Calls and Nesting of
Brown Pelican
Brown Pelicans are generally silent adults; however, juveniles are known to squawk occasionally.
Brown Pelicans nest on the ground, either on islands, mangroves, cliffs, or rocky outcrops.
They use materials such as reeds, leaves, pebbles, sticks, and soil to build their nests. Breeding may last up to a month, with both parents taking turns incubating their eggs.
Fun Facts about
Brown Pelican
The
Brown Pelican’s eggshell is exceptionally thin, making it extremely sensitive to harmful chemicals such as DDT (dichlorodiphenyltrichloroethane). As a result,
Brown Pelicans, along with other bird species, were negatively impacted by the widespread use of DDT in the mid-20th century.
Conservation efforts have since brought them back in healthy numbers. Additionally,
Brown Pelicans are unique in that they use their webbed feet to help incubate their eggs, which is not typical behavior for birds.
Conclusion
The
Brown Pelican is an iconic North American bird that has adapted to thrive in its coastal habitats, commonly seen diving for fish in shallow waters. From their unique bill and throat pouch to their distinctive flight and coastal nesting sites,
Brown Pelicans are a marvel of the natural world.
By understanding their appearance, habitat, breeding habits, behavior, and conservation status, we can better appreciate the vital role they play in our environment. In summary, the American White Pelican and
Brown Pelican are unique and fascinating birds that are widely distributed across North America.
These two distinct species have various characteristics, diet, breeding habits, migration patterns, habitat, foraging methods, calls, nesting, and fun facts. Studying these birds enhances our appreciation of their crucial role in our environment and makes us more aware of their conservation status.
Here are some frequently asked questions (FAQs) and their answers regarding these pelican species:
1. What kind of food do pelicans eat?
Pelicans mostly eat fish, but they may also feed on crabs, frogs, snakes, mammals, birds, and insects. 2.
Why is the
Brown Pelican’s eggshell so thin? The
Brown Pelican’s eggshell is thin because it is sensitive to harmful chemicals such as DDT, which negatively impacted their breeding ability.
Conservation efforts have since brought their population back in healthy numbers. 3.
What makes American White Pelicans differ from other pelican species? American White Pelicans are the largest pelican species in North America, with white plumage, black flight feathers, bluish-gray eyes, orange bills, and pale orange pouches and feet.
4. How do pelicans use their bills and throat pouches while hunting?
Pelicans scoop their prey up from the water using their throat pouch, which can hold up to three gallons of water, and swallow it whole after emptying out the water. Their bills are also used as tools for catching and filtering food while foraging.
5. Where do
Brown Pelicans breed and what is their breeding season?
Brown Pelicans breed in winter, either resident or migratory, on the Atlantic and Pacific Coasts of North America and northern South America, nesting on the ground either on islands, mangroves, cliffs, or rocky outcrops. By having a deeper understanding of these species, we can take action to preserve and protect their habitats, ensuring they thrive now and in the future.