In the realm of North American avian species, a pair of Pelican classifications can be observed within Delaware. These two avian creatures consist of the Brown Pelican and the American White Pelican.
During the summer season, the Brown Pelican can be readily sighted within this region. However, the American White Pelican is an uncommon occurrence, making appearances in Delaware only sporadically and infrequently.
Pelicans, renowned for their substantial bills, expandable throat pouches, and formidable feet, stand among the largest avian species worldwide. Despite their considerable size, they possess an extraordinary lightness facilitated by air pockets present in their skeletal structure and skin, enabling them to float gracefully. Additionally, their elongated wings aid in soaring effortlessly through the skies.
Globally, there exist eight distinct species of pelicans, two of which inhabit the North American continent. These species encompass the American White Pelican and the Brown Pelican.
During the breeding period, the facial skin, throats, and bills of pelicans undergo a vivid transformation, displaying more vibrant hues and, in some cases, developing additional bill appendages.
Pelicans congregate in colonies that can encompass up to a staggering 50,000 individuals. Depending on the species, these colonies may either nest on the ground or within trees. After spending approximately 25 days in the nest, the fledglings gather in groups called “creches,” consisting of up to 100 juvenile birds. Astonishingly, the parents possess the remarkable ability to recognize and exclusively nourish their own offspring.
Despite preying upon various creatures, pelicans are not classified as birds of prey, a distinction reserved for raptors exclusively. The primary dietary preference of pelicans revolves around fish; however, they also indulge in a range of sustenance, including crabs, frogs, snakes, mammals, birds, and insects.
Utilizing their expansive throat pouches, pelicans adeptly ensnare fish, subsequently expelling excess water prior to ingestion. Juvenile pelicans even engage in direct feeding from their parents’ throat pouches.
This comprehensive guide serves as an invaluable resource to identify the various types of pelicans observed within Delaware. It draws upon the extensive knowledge of avibase and incorporates data gathered from avid bird watchers using ebird, ensuring the provision of accurate information concerning the timing and presence of these avian creatures.
The Dominion of Delaware hosts two distinct species of pelicans, which are as follows:
Brown Pelican
Within Delaware’s borders, the presence of Brown Pelicans predominantly occurs during the breeding season, spanning from April to November, with a handful of individuals choosing to linger throughout the entire year. They predominantly inhabit the southern coastal regions of the state, accounting for approximately 2% of the checklists during the summer months.
Non-breeding adult Brown Pelicans exhibit predominantly white heads and necks, embellished with pale yellow foreheads. Their lengthy bills display a combination of yellow and orange hues. Cloaked in shades of grayish-brown, their bodies stand atop short, ebony legs and webbed feet. Juveniles present brown plumage adorning their heads, necks, backs, and wings, accompanied by bluish-gray bills, while their underbellies exude a light brown tint.
The Brown Pelican boasts a total of five subspecies, with two of these subspecies engaging in breeding activities within the United States. The Pacific Coast variant is known as P.o.californicus, while the Atlantic Coast variant is referred to as P.o.carolinensis.
The dissimilarities between the Pacific and Atlantic Brown Pelicans become more evident during the breeding season. Both species exhibit white heads adorned with brighter yellow foreheads. However, the nape color undergoes a transformation from white to dark brown in the Atlantic variant, whereas the Pacific variant presents a throat pouch with red-hued skin.
Scientific Classification: Pelecanus occidentalis
Length: 48 – 50 inches (122 – 127 cm)
Weight: 131.2 ounces (3718 g)
Wingspan: 78 – 84 inches (198 – 213 cm)
Brown Pelicans display either migratory or resident behavior along the Pacific and Atlantic Coasts of North America, extending as far south as northern South America. These majestic creatures predominantly inhabit shallow water environments, residing year-round in estuaries and coastal marine habitats. Resting periods often find them on mangrove islets, sandbars, breakwaters, and offshore rocks.
A notable characteristic that distinguishes the Brown Pelican is its remarkable diving capability. Plunging into the depths of the ocean, these birds skillfully capture their prey within their expansive throat pouches. Upon resurfacing, water efficiently drains from the pouch, enabling prompt consumption of the catch.
Their primary sustenance comprises fish varieties such as sardines and herring. When not engaged in diving pursuits, Brown Pelicans leisurely swim, employing their bills to snatch prey. Their diet may also include crustaceans, amphibians, eggs, and other young birds.
Acoustic communication among adult Brown Pelicans is usually minimal, with rare vocalizations such as occasional grunts. Conversely, juvenile pelicans emit squawks as a means of begging for food.
Regarding nesting habits, Brown Pelicans typically construct their nests on the ground, favoring concealed locations on islands, mangroves, and cliffs. Comprising a composition of reeds, leaves, pebbles, and sticks compacted with soil, the female assumes responsibility for nest construction. Subsequently, she lays two to four eggs, both parents participating in the approximately month-long incubation process.
Fun Fact: Brown Pelicans have a peculiar incubation technique involving the use of their webbed feet to cover their eggs. This behavior, while remarkable, once posed a threat to the species due to the detrimental effects of the pesticide DDT. The thinning of eggshells caused by DDT led to their fracture under the weight of the parent’s feet. Countless conservation efforts were necessary to restore the Brown Pelican population to its current state.
American White Pelican
American White Pelicans are considered rare or accidental visitors within the Delaware region. However, they may be spotted intermittently during the summer season along the state’s coastline, particularly in areas such as New Castle, Bombay Hook National Wildlife Refuge, Prime Hook National Wildlife Refuge, and Cape Henlopen State Park.
Distinguished by their vast wingspan, American White Pelicans epitomize grandeur among soaring avian species residing in the North American landscape.
Non-breeding adult American White Pelicans exhibit a pristine white plumage, aside from their black flight feathers, which become apparent during flight or when the wings are spread wide. Their bluish-gray eyes harmonize with the yellow facial skin encircling them. Additionally, they possess pale orange bills, pouches, and feet. Juveniles showcase light gray feathers accentuated by darker brown napes.
Breeding adult American White Pelicans display distinctive alterations in appearance compared to their non-breeding counterparts. They develop a yellow plate on their upper bills, reminiscent of a horn. While their bodies retain their characteristic all-white hue, their eyes, bills, legs, and feet undergo a vivid transition, assuming brighter orange shades.
American White Pelicans undergo molting changes, referred to as eclipse, characterized by a yellowish patch on their breast and chest during springtime and the emergence of blackish feathers on their heads throughout the summer.
- Scientific Classification: Pelecanus erythrorhynchos
- Length: 60 – 63 inches (152 – 160 cm)
- Weight: 246.4 ounces (6983 g)
- Wingspan: 96 – 110 inches (244 – 279 cm)
American White Pelicans breed in remote inland lakes throughout North America, subsequently migrating to the southern Pacific Coast of the United States, the Gulf of Mexico, Mexico, and Central America during the winter months. During migration, they may be sighted in various western and central states of the U.S.
Shallow freshwater lakes, wetlands, and the perimeters of lakes and rivers serve as favored habitats for American White Pelicans. In winter, they seek coastal bays, inlets, and estuaries, where they engage in foraging activities within shallow waters and find respite on sandbars.
The primary dietary preference of American White Pelicans revolves around fish. Employing their substantial bills, they skim the water’s surface, capturing prey with remarkable efficiency. These pelicans often engage in coordinated foraging efforts, working alongside other birds to corral fish toward the shore, facilitating their capture.
Opportunistic feeders, American White Pelicans exhibit adaptability in their quest for sustenance, traversing great distances to locate optimal feeding grounds. Their diet may include crayfish, amphibians, salamanders, and they are known to pilfer fish from the water’s surface, snatching meals from unsuspecting avian counterparts.
Acoustic communication among American White Pelicans remains largely subdued, with infrequent vocalizations consisting of occasional grunts. However, their young offspring can be quite vociferous within expansive colonies, clamoring for nourishment.
Nesting habits of American White Pelicans involve the creation of simple, shallow depressions on the ground. These depressions are subsequently fortified with twigs, sticks, reeds, and additional materials to provide protection for the eggs.
The female assumes responsibility for laying one to two eggs, which both parents diligently incubate for a period of up to thirty-six days. Unfortunately, due to siblicide, a phenomenon in which one sibling eliminates the other, only a single chick survives per nest.
Fun Fact: The elongated and substantial bill of the American White Pelican possesses an extraordinary capacity, capable of holding up to three gallons of water. This remarkable adaptation allows them to drain the water from their bill and subsequently consume the fish contained within their throat sac.