From their prehistoric past to clever fishing skills, dive into the fascinating world of brown and white pelicans with these pelican facts.
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Types of Pelicans in America
Of the eight species of pelicans in the world, only two live in North America—the American white pelican and the brown pelican.
Baby Pelicans Are Big Eaters
During its first three months, a pelican chick gulps down 150 pounds of regurgitated food from its parents.
How Do Pelicans Catch Fish?
Brown pelicans dive into the water headfirst from heights of up to 60 feet to catch fish. American white pelicans, on the other hand, herd and scoop them from shallow water.
How Much Do Pelicans Weigh?
Weighing up to 11 pounds, brown pelicans are the lightest of the pelican family. White pelicans can weigh nearly twice as much as their brown pelican counterparts, weighing in at up to 20 pounds. Enjoying pelican facts? You’ll also love these facts about puffins.
Brown Pelicans: Conservation Success Story
Having been listed as endangered in the 1970s due to unregulated hunting, habitat loss and pesticides, the brown pelican has made a remarkable comeback. Thanks to years of conservation efforts, it was removed from the U.S. Endangered Species List in 2009.
Fishing Line May Put Pelicans at Risk
An estimated 700 brown pelicans die each year in Florida from entanglement in fishing line. According to the National Audubon Society, anglers can take a few steps to prevent harm coming to these birds. If a bird gets caught on the hook, don’t cut the line: reel it in, cut the barb off the hook, and back the hook out. If fishing line becomes snagged on trees or any other objects, untangle and remove it. Never feed birds bait or filleted carcasses.
Pelicans Are Ancient Birds
You might not have considered it before, but pelicans are ancient! The oldest pelican fossil dates back to at least 30 million years ago. Found in France, those prehistoric birds had a gular pouch similar to those of today’s pelicans.
Pelicans Have an Expanding Gular Pouch
A pelican’s gular pouch can hold 3 gallons of water and fish, three times more than its belly can. The gular pouch serves a variety of functions for the bird, including as a cooling mechanism during warm weather and, as onlookers might witness, as a scoop for food. When you’re done reading pelican facts, check out amazing facts about common loons.
Sources
- Cornell Lab of Ornithology, “Brown Pelican“
- Cornell Lab of Ornithology, “American White Pelican“
- American Bird Conservancy, “Brown Pelican“
- National Audubon Society, “Audubon Works to Stop Brown Pelican Entanglement“
