In the realm of North American avifauna, you can stumble upon a duo of pelican species gracing the Californian terrain. These magnificent beings go by the names of the American White Pelican and the Brown Pelican, both enchanting visitors throughout the year.
Pelicans, towering among the avian kingdom, boast an extraordinary visage with their colossal beaks, expandable gular pouches, and formidable extremities. Despite their grandiose stature, they possess a weightlessness, aided by air pockets nestled within their skeletal framework and integumentary system, granting them buoyancy in aqueous realms, while their extensive wings facilitate effortless soaring through the heavens.
Our globe harbors a total of eight distinct pelican species, with a duo residing in North America—namely the American White Pelican and the Brown Pelican.
During the breeding season, pelicans undergo a mesmerizing transformation, as their facial skin, throats, and bills adorn vivid and vibrant hues, with some even sprouting supplementary appendages on their beaks.
Pelicans congregate in colonies, housing up to a staggering 50,000 members. Depending on the species, these colonies may either opt for ground-nesting or arboreal nesting. After spending approximately 25 days within the nest, the fledglings gather in crèches, consisting of up to a hundred young birds, astonishingly recognizing and exclusively tending to their own offspring.
While pelicans partake in predation, they do not fall under the category of birds of prey, as that distinction is reserved solely for raptors. Their dietary preferences predominantly revolve around piscine fare, although they may indulge in crustaceans, amphibians, reptiles, mammals, avians, and insects.
Employing their prodigious throat pouches, pelicans skillfully ensnare fish, subsequently expelling water before engulfing their delectable catch. Juvenile pelicans even directly feed from the pouches of their parents.
This guide serves as your compass to identifying the pelican species commonly encountered in California, drawing upon authoritative sources like Avibase and incorporating data amassed from avid birdwatchers on eBird, thereby furnishing factual knowledge regarding the opportune moments to spot these avian marvels.
2 Pelican Varieties in California:
Brown Pelican
The Brown Pelican, an indelible presence in California, frequents its coastal landscapes year-round, with approximately 8% of birdwatchers’ summer and winter checklists documenting their sighting.
Non-breeding adults of the Brown Pelican typically display white craniums and necks accentuated by pale yellow foreheads. Their lengthy bills exhibit a composite color scheme of yellow and orange. Grayish-brown bodies, short black legs, and webbed feet complete their appearance. Juveniles possess brown plumage encompassing their heads, necks, backs, and wings, accompanied by bluish-gray beaks, while their underbellies showcase a light brown hue.
Within the Brown Pelican species, five subspecies exist, two of which engage in breeding activities within the United States. P.o.californicus represents the variant found along the Pacific Coast, while P.o.carolinensis thrives along the Atlantic Coast.
The divergences between Pacific and Atlantic Brown Pelicans become particularly pronounced during the breeding season. Both subspecies display white napes and foreheads, but the color of their napes transitions from white to dark brown. While Atlantic Brown Pelicans sport olive-brown throat pouches, their Pacific counterparts exhibit red-hued pouches.
- Pelecanus occidentalis
- Length: 48 – 50 inches (122 – 127 cm)
- Weight: 131.2 ounces (3718 g)
- Wingspan: 78 – 84 inches (198 – 213 cm)
Brown Pelicans, whether breeding, migrating, or residing year-round, grace the Pacific and Atlantic Coasts of North America, extending down to northern South America.
These remarkable creatures tend to favor habitats with shallow aquatic environs, making their homes in estuaries, coastal marine domains, as well as the confines of mangrove islets. Additionally, they occasionally seek respite on sandbars, breakwaters, and offshore rocks.
Exhibiting a distinctive foraging prowess, Brown Pelicans plunge into the depths of the ocean to secure their prey within their cavernous gular pouches. Upon resurfacing, water escapes through a process of drainage, facilitating immediate ingestion of the captured bounty.
Their dietary repertoire primarily consists of piscine morsels such as sardines and herring. In addition, they display a penchant for indulging in crustaceans, amphibians, avian eggs, and fledglings, as well as small mammals.
When it comes to vocalization, adult Brown Pelicans typically maintain a reserved demeanor, occasionally emitting an occasional grunt. However, their juvenile counterparts may become rather vocal in their colony, beseeching their parents for nourishment.
Regarding nest construction, Brown Pelicans exhibit a preference for ground-based nests over arboreal alternatives. These nests, often concealed on islands, within mangroves, or perched on cliffs, materialize through the amalgamation of reeds, leaves, pebbles, and sticks, fortified with soil. The female assumes responsibility for constructing the nest, subsequently laying two to four eggs, which both parents diligently incubate for roughly one month.
Fun Fact: Brown Pelicans employ their webbed feet to incubate their eggs, placing them atop the eggs as a protective measure. However, this practice inadvertently posed a threat to the species during the period when the pesticide DDT engendered the thinning of their eggshells, rendering them susceptible to breakage under the weight of their parents’ feet. Extensive conservation endeavors were necessary to restore the Brown Pelican population.
American White Pelican
The American White Pelican, a familiar sight year-round in California, particularly from July to January, makes its appearance on approximately 5% of summer and winter checklists.
Exhibiting grandeur in both size and flight, American White Pelicans lay claim to the second largest average wingspan among all North American avifauna.
Non-breeding adults of the American White Pelican boast an immaculate white plumage, save for their inky flight feathers, revealed during flight or when their wings unfurl. Their bluish-gray eyes complement the yellow facial skin encompassing their ocular region. Pale orange bills, pouches, and feet complete their regal countenance. Juvenile individuals adorn a lighter gray coat, with darker brown napes distinguishing them.
Breeding adult American White Pelicans present a distinct transformation compared to their non-breeding counterparts. They sprout a yellow, horn-like plate atop their upper bill. Their bodies remain entirely white, while their eyes, bills, legs, and feet radiate a vivid orange hue.
Throughout their life cycle, American White Pelicans undergo several molting phases, collectively known as eclipse. Spring witnesses the emergence of a conspicuous yellowish patch upon their breast and chest, whereas summer brings forth a darker plumage atop their heads.
- 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 within remote inland lakes in North America before embarking on winter sojourns to the southern Pacific Coast of the United States, the
Gulf of Mexico, Mexico, and Central America. During migration, these majestic beings grace the western and central states of the US.
Seeking habitats characterized by shallow freshwater lakes, wetlands, and the fringes of rivers and lakes, American White Pelicans thrive in such environs. During winter, they can be observed in coastal bays, inlets, and estuaries, where they diligently forage in shallow waters and seek respite on sandbars.
Their diet predominantly comprises fish, which they skillfully capture by gliding atop the water’s surface, utilizing their expansive bills. Furthermore, they engage in cooperative foraging alongside fellow avian companions, orchestrating synchronized maneuvers to herd fish toward the shore, facilitating their efficient consumption.
These opportunistically adaptive creatures embark on extensive journeys in search of bountiful feeding grounds, spanning great distances. Additionally, they demonstrate a penchant for consuming crayfish, amphibians, salamanders, and have been known to pilfer fish from the water’s surface, much to the chagrin of their avian peers.
American White Pelicans maintain a reserved demeanor when it comes to vocalizations, often maintaining silence or emitting occasional grunts. However, their young offspring can prove rather boisterous within large colonies, incessantly clamoring for sustenance.
Nests of American White Pelicans manifest as simple, shallow depressions on the ground. Twigs, sticks, reeds, and various other materials are meticulously arranged atop the soil to provide a protective layer for the eggs.
The female assumes the duty of laying one to two eggs, which both parents diligently incubate for up to thirty-six days. Unfortunately, siblicide, the act of one sibling eliminating the other, results in only one chick surviving per nest.
Fun Fact: The elongated and expansive bill of the American White Pelican has the remarkable capacity to hold up to three gallons of water. When the pelican scoops fish from the sea, it lowers its bill to drain the water, allowing it to swallow the remaining fish nestled within its capacious throat sac.