The brown pelican (Pelecanus occidentalis) is a large seabird found on the Atlantic and Pacific coasts of North and South America. Pelicans belong to the order Pelecaniformes, which contains just pelicans, gannets, boobies, cormorants, darters, and frigatebirds. The brown pelican is one of only two pelican species found in North America, the other being the American white pelican. Brown pelicans are long-necked, large-bodied birds with huge pouched bills for catching fish. They are graceful fliers and can be seen soaring and gliding low over the ocean surface. The brown pelican was endangered in the 1960s due to DDT poisoning but has since recovered.
Classification
The brown pelican belongs to the following taxonomic classification:
Kingdom | Animalia |
Phylum | Chordata |
Class | Aves |
Order | Pelecaniformes |
Family | Pelecanidae |
Genus | Pelecanus |
Species | P. occidentalis |
So in summary, the brown pelican is in the class Aves, order Pelecaniformes, and family Pelecanidae. All birds belong to the class Aves. The order Pelecaniformes contains pelicans, gannets, boobies, cormorants, darters, and frigatebirds. Within this order, the brown pelican belongs to the family Pelecanidae, which includes all eight living pelican species.
Description
The brown pelican is a large bird, measuring 36-54 inches in length with a wingspan of 6-7.5 feet. Adult pelicans weigh anywhere from 4.5-8 pounds. They have short legs and very long, flat bills that grow up to 13 inches long in adult males. The bill has a large throat pouch underneath that can hold 2-3 gallons of water and fish.
Brown pelicans have mostly brown plumage with white on the head, neck, belly and tail. The head and neck of adult pelicans changes to a bright yellowish-orange during breeding season. Their wings are broad and long with black flight feathers. Juvenile pelicans have gray-brown plumage all over and get the adult plumage after one year.
Some key identifying features of the brown pelican include:
- Large seabird with a wingspan over 6 feet
- Mostly brown plumage with white neck and belly
- Enormous bill with a throat pouch
- Long, broad wings for soaring
- Yellowish head and neck during breeding season
The brown pelican is one of the largest seabirds found in North America. Its huge bill and throat pouch distinguish it from other coastal birds like gulls, terns, and cormorants. In flight, it can be identified by its large size, widespread wings, and habit of flying in lines low over the water’s surface.
Habitat and Range
The brown pelican has a large range covering the Atlantic, Pacific and Gulf Coasts of North and South America. On the Atlantic Coast, it ranges from Nova Scotia down through the West Indies and South America to Brazil. On the Pacific Coast, it is found from British Columbia to Chile. There is also an isolated population in the Galapagos Islands.
This species inhabits warm coastal marine habitats, including barrier islands, sand spits, estuaries, bays, and harbors. Brown pelicans nest on low sandy islands with vegetation and mangroves. They do not range far inland away from coastal areas.
The brown pelican is a year-round resident in the southern parts of its range including the Gulf Coast, southern California, and south to Panama. Northern populations migrate south in winter months. After near extirpation in the 1960s, brown pelican populations have recovered well with an estimated global population of over 650,000 individuals. They are still endangered in some parts of their range like the West Indies.
Diet and Feeding
The brown pelican feeds exclusively on fish and occasionally amphibians and crustaceans. They capture prey by plunge diving from heights up to 60-70 feet in the air. The pelicans sight fish swimming near the surface and then dive straight down, submerging completely underwater to scoop up fish in their bill pouch. Once catching one fish, the pouch can hold up to three times more fish in a single dive.
Brown pelicans normally feed solitarily, but they may feed cooperatively in lines or semi-circles to herd fish into shallow water. Some other fish-eating birds like terns, gulls and boobies often associate with feeding pelicans to scavenge any spilled or regurgitated fish. The average brown pelican eats about 4 pounds of fish every day, primarily consisting of herring, mullet, anchovies, menhaden and minnows.
Reproduction and Lifespan
Brown pelicans reach sexual maturity at 2-3 years old. The breeding season takes place in spring, with peak egg-laying in March through May. Males establish nesting territories and perform courtship displays to attract a mate, including head swaying, pointing their bills up, and vocalizing a wheezy call.
The birds nest colonially on offshore islands in small bushes, mangroves or right on the ground. The female lays a clutch of 2-3 eggs which hatch after about 30 days. Both parents incubate the eggs and feed the young chicks by regurgitating fish. The chicks fledge at about 9-10 weeks old.
Brown pelicans live up to 20-25 years in the wild. There are documented cases of some individuals living over 30 years. They experience occasional large die-offs from hurricanes, severe cold weather, oil spills, and human disturbance. Otherwise, adults have low natural predation due to their large size. Eggs and young chicks may be taken by gulls, raptors, and mammalian predators.
Conservation Status
The brown pelican was once endangered in the 1960s and early 1970s due to DDT pesticide poisoning and human persecution. DDT contaminated the pelican’s food source which caused eggshell thinning and mass reproductive failure. Their populations declined dramatically until DDT was banned in 1972.
After receiving protection under the Endangered Species Act, brown pelican numbers began to recover in the 1980s. Their populations were bolstered by intensive management programs including reintroduction to former range, restoration of nesting sites, and protection from disturbance during breeding. The brown pelican was taken off the endangered species list in 2009 when populations stabilized.
While removed from the overall U.S. endangered list, some regional populations in the West Indies, Venezuela and Colombia remain endangered. Ongoing threats include habitat loss, industrial pollution, collisions with structures, overfishing and depletion of food sources, climate change, oil spills, and human disturbance. Sustainable management practices and habitat protection will be vital for their continued success.
Key Facts
- Class: Aves
- Order: Pelecaniformes
- Family: Pelecanidae
- Genus and species: Pelecanus occidentalis
- Length: 36-54 in
- Wingspan: 6-7.5 ft
- Weight: 4.5-8 lbs
- Population: Over 650,000
- Diet: Fish and marine life
- Lifespan: Up to 30 years
- Breeding: Colonially on coasts; 2-3 eggs
- Conservation status: Least concern overall, still endangered regionally
In summary, the brown pelican is a large coastal seabird in the order Pelecaniformes and family Pelecanidae. It is an expert fisher, plunge diving from heights to scoop up fish in its huge pouched bill. The brown pelican suffered from DDT poisoning in the 1960s but recovered after the pesticide was banned. While now stable across most of its range, some populations still require protection, especially in the Caribbean islands. Ongoing management and habitat conservation will be needed to ensure the long-term survival of this iconic seabird.
Comparison to American White Pelican
The American white pelican (Pelecanus erythrorhynchos) is the only other pelican species found in North America besides the brown pelican. These two pelican species overlap in parts of their range along the Pacific and Gulf Coasts. Here is a comparison:
Brown Pelican | American White Pelican | |
---|---|---|
Size | 36-54 in long | 50-65 in long |
Wingspan | 6-7.5 ft | 95-108 in |
Weight | 4.5-8 lbs | 14-20 lbs |
Plumage | Brown; white neck | White with black flight feathers |
Bill | Grayish; up to 13 in | Pinkish; up to 11 in |
Range | Coasts of Americas | Western North America |
Habitat | Coastal marine | Inland lakes and coastal in winter |
Diet | Fish | Fish and amphibians |
Fishing method | Plunge diving | Surface dipping |
In summary, the brown pelican is smaller and darker than the American white pelican. It also breeds strictly along coasts and fishes by plunge diving, whereas the white pelican summers on inland lakes and surface dips for fish. Both species belong to the same order Pelecaniformes and family Pelecanidae, but they fill different ecological niches.
Conclusion
The brown pelican is a large seabird in the order Pelecaniformes and family Pelecanidae. It is found along the coasts of the Americas, where it nests colonially on offshore islands and forages for fish by spectacular plunge diving. Brown pelicans suffered severe declines due to DDT pesticide poisoning in the 1960s but recovered after DDT was banned. The species was taken off the U.S. endangered list in 2009 but some regional populations remain threatened. Ongoing conservation efforts focused on protecting nesting habitats and food resources will be needed to ensure the future of this iconic coastal bird. The brown pelican can be distinguished from the only other pelican in North America, the American white pelican, by its smaller size, brown plumage, gray bill, coastal range, and plunge diving habit. As a supreme fisher and seabird, the brown pelican is a symbolic species of productive marine ecosystems in the Americas.