Brown Pelican

Pelecanus occidentalis

Brown Pelican
Photo credit: Frank Schulenburg from Wikimedia

Status

Endangered

Physical 

Brown Pelicans are stocky birds with flat bills.  They reach up to 21 cm in size.  Their bodies are dark brown, and adults have white heads.  Coloration is inverted in juveniles.

Image by Frank Schulenburg from Wikimedia

Habitat

 P. occidentalis prefer sandy coastal beaches, lagoons, waterfronts, pilings, and rocky cliffs.  They occur along the Atlantic and Gulf Coasts as far as Texas.

Feeding 

Fish are the predominant diet of the Brown Pelican.  Individuals dive to catch their prey; their bills can hold up to 2.34 gallons of water.

Brown Pelican
Photo credit: Frank Schulenburg from Wikimedia