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Brown Pelican
Pelecanus occidentalis californicus
Conservation status
Least Concern (IUCN 3.1)
Scientific classification
Kingdom: Animalia Phylum: Chordata Class: Aves Order: Pelecaniformes Family: Pelecanidae Genus: Pelecanus Species: P. occidentalis
Binomial name
Pelecanus occidentalis Linnaeus, 1766

The brown pelican (Pelecanus occidentalis) is the smallest of the eight species of pelican, although it is a large bird in nearly every other regard. It is 106-137 cm (42-54 in) in length, weighs from 2.75 to 5.5 kg (6-12 lb) and has a wingspan from 1.83 to 2.5 m (6 to 8.2 ft).

It lives strictly on coasts from Washington and Virginia south to northern Chile and the mouth of the Amazon River, as well as the island of Saut d'Eau in Trinidad and Tobago. Some immature birds may stray to inland freshwater lakes. After nesting, North American birds move in flocks further north along the coasts, returning to warmer waters for winter. Their young are hatched in broods of about 3, and eat around 150 lbs. of fish in the 8-10 month period they are cared for.

This bird is distinguished from the American White Pelican by its brown body and its habit of diving for fish from the air, as opposed to co-operative fishing from the surface. It eats mainly herring-like fish. Groups of Brown Pelicans often travel in single file, flying low over the water's surface.

The nest location varies from a simple scrape on the ground on an island to a bulky stick nest in a low tree. These birds nest in colonies, usually on islands.

Pesticides like DDT and dieldrin threatened its future in the southeast United States and California in the early 1970s. Pesticides also threatened the pelican population in Florida in this period. A research group from the University of Tampa headed by Dr. Ralph Schreiber conducted research in the Tampa Bay/St Petersburg area and found that DDT caused the pelican eggshells to be overly-thin and incapable of supporting the embryo to maturity. As a result of this research, DDT usage was eliminated in Florida and the rest of the country. Along with the American White Pelican, the Brown Pelican is protected by the Migratory Bird Treaty Act of 1918. Normal pelicans can live more than 30 years. There are four subspecies:

• P. o. californicus (California Brown Pelican)
• P. o. carolinensis (Eastern Brown Pelican)
• P. o. occidentalis (Caribbean Brown Pelican)
• P. o. urinator (Galápagos Brown Pelican)

The Peruvian Pelican, Pelecanus thagus, used to be considered a subspecies of the Brown Pelican (P. o. thagus). However, due to its well-defined allopatry and because it is much larger and heavier than its relatives, it was reclassified as a separate species.

The Brown Pelican is the state bird of Louisiana. It is also one of the mascots of Tulane University and is on its seal because of the Louisiana connection.

Pelecanus occidentalis californicus fly along the coast in formation	P. occidentalis carolinensis in flight
A brown pelican drying his wings	P. occidentalis occidentalis (with Caribbean Flamingos and Laughing Gulls), shore of the saline Lago de Oviedo, Dominican Republic.
Diving Brown Pelicans

References

• BirdLife International (2006). Pelecanus occidentalis. 2006 IUCN Red List of Threatened Species. IUCN 2006. Retrieved on 12 May 2006.

External links

Wikimedia Commons has media related to:

Pelecanus occidentalis

• http://www.fws.gov/migratorybirds/intrnltr/mbta/mbtandx.html List of birds protected by the Migratory Bird Treaty Act
• Brown Pelican videos on the Internet Bird Collection
• Brown Pelican Information and Photos South Dakota Birds and Birding
• Field Guide Page on Flickr

Wikipedia content modification information:

• This page was last modified on 18 November 2008, at 14:26.

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