Brown Pelican
Pelecanus occidentalis
Brown Pelicans live along warm coastal shores, bays, estuaries, and islands, often resting on pilings or low sandbars near productive fishing waters. They feed mostly on small schooling fish, using a dramatic headfirst plunge-dive and an expandable throat pouch to scoop prey at the surface. Adults are strong fliers that travel low over waves in gliding lines, but they can also look bulky and deliberate on land. A notable recovery success, this species rebounded after severe pesticide-driven declines and is now a familiar seabird across much of the Americas.
- Type
- Wing
- Conservation status
- LC
Growth chain
- ?
- ?
- Brown Pelican