American White Pelican

Pelecanus erythrorhynchosOrder: PELECANIFORMESFamily: Pelicans (Pelecanidae)

Breeding Location:

Seashore, rocky or sandy, Marshes, freshwater, Swamps

Breeding Type:

Monogamous, Colonial

Breeding Population:

Fairly common to common

Egg Color:

White

Number of Eggs:

1 - 2

Incubation Days:

29 - 36

Egg Incubator:

Both sexes

Nest Material:

Built-up dirt and rubbish.

Migration:

Migratory

Overview

American White Pelican: Huge, white seabird, enormous outstretched wings show black primaries, outer secondaries in flight. Bill, legs are bright orange, upper bill develops a fibrous keel during breeding season. Slow, deep wing beats. Soars high on thermals. Flies in straight line or V formation.

Range and Habitat

American White Pelican: Breeds from British Columbia and Mackenzie south to northern California, Utah, and Manitoba; also breeds along the Gulf Coast. Spends winters in the southern U.S. south to Panama. Preferred habitats include shallow lakes and coastal lagoons.

Breeding and Nesting

American White Pelican: Nests in colonies, laying one or two white eggs on a low mound built from mud and debris. Nesting colonies are usually located on marshy islands, but occasionally on rocky islands in desert lakes. Incubation ranges from 29 to 36 days and is carried out by both parents.

Foraging and Feeding

American White Pelican: Feeds mostly on fish while swimming, snatching prey with large bill; groups may concentrate prey by herding. An adult pelican can consume up to 4 lbs of food each day. Unlike the Brown Pelican, this bird does not plunge dive for food.

Readily Eats

Vocalization

American White Pelican: Emits grunts or croaks on nesting grounds.

Similar Species

American White Pelican: Wood Stork has a black tail, a dark, featherless head and neck, and long legs that trail beyond tail in flight. Brown Pelican has gray-brown upperparts, dark wings, and a darker bill. It also plunge dives for fish while flying.

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Bird Call Credits: The Macaulay Library of Natural Sounds at the Cornell Lab of Ornithology. Martyn Stewart, Redmond, Washington USA. The reuse or copying of bird calls in this database is strictly forbidden.

American White Pelican

● Song: "croak, croak, croak"

● Foraging & Feeding: American White Pelican: Feeds mostly on fish while swimming, snatching prey with large bill; groups may concentrate prey by herding. An adult pelican can consume up to 4 lbs of food each day. Unlike the Brown Pelican, this bird does not plunge dive for food.

● Breeding & nesting: American White Pelican: Nests in colonies, laying one or two white eggs on a low mound built from mud and debris. Nesting colonies are usually located on marshy islands, but occasionally on rocky islands in desert lakes. Incubation ranges from 29 to 36 days and is carried out by both parents.

● Similar species: American White Pelican: Wood Stork has a black tail, a dark, featherless head and neck, and long legs that trail beyond tail in flight. Brown Pelican has gray-brown upperparts, dark wings, and a darker bill. It also plunge dives for fish while flying.

Flight Pattern

Strong, slow deep wing beats.

American White Pelican Body Illustration

● Range & Habitat: American White Pelican: Breeds from British Columbia and Mackenzie south to northern California, Utah, and Manitoba; also breeds along the Gulf Coast. Spends winters in the southern U.S. south to Panama. Preferred habitats include shallow lakes and coastal lagoons.

^BreedingMonogamous, Colonial

^PopulationFairly common to common

^MigrationMigratory

^Weight246.4 Ounces

Field Guide to Birds of North America
Bird name:

Field Guide to Birds of North America