In the realm of North American avian fauna, Mississippi serves as a dwelling for two distinct species of Pelican. These winged creatures encompass the Brown Pelican and the American White Pelican.
Throughout the entirety of the year, one can encounter Brown Pelicans in this region. However, the American White Pelican is a temporary visitor, gracing Mississippi with its presence exclusively during the winter season.
Pelicans, renowned for their colossal proportions, possess characteristics that render them easily identifiable. Their immense bills, expandable throat pouches, and webbed feet contribute to their unparalleled recognition. Despite their considerable size, these creatures possess a surprising lightness, attributed to air-filled cavities within their skeletal structure and integument. This buoyancy allows them to effortlessly float upon water surfaces, while their lengthy wings facilitate graceful flight.
In the realm of pelicans, a total of eight distinct species populate the globe, two of which call North America their home. These notable representatives include the American White Pelican and the Brown Pelican.
During the breeding season, pelicans undergo notable transformations. Their facial skin, throats, and bills become vividly colored, and some even develop additional appendages on their bills.
Pelicans exhibit a proclivity for communal breeding, forming colonies that can consist of up to 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 young pelicans gather in groups known as “creches,” with each creche housing up to 100 fledglings. Astonishingly, the parents possess the remarkable ability to recognize and solely nourish their own offspring.
Despite their predatory nature, pelicans do not fall under the classification of birds of prey, which exclusively encompasses raptors. These majestic birds primarily subsist on a diet of fish, although they also partake in the consumption of crabs, frogs, snakes, mammals, birds, and insects.
Pelicans skillfully employ their expandable throat pouches to capture fish, subsequently draining the water from their catch before ingestion. Young pelicans, meanwhile, directly feed from their parents’ pouches.
To facilitate your discernment of the various pelican species that grace Mississippi, this guide relies upon avibase and incorporates data acquired from devoted birdwatchers on ebird, ensuring the provision of accurate and reliable information regarding the sighting patterns of these birds.
Two Pelican Species Encountered in Mississippi:
Brown Pelican
The Brown Pelican represents a year-round resident of Mississippi, although it primarily frequents the southern regions of the state. Reports from birdwatchers indicate that Brown Pelicans are recorded in approximately 9% of summer checklists and 15% of winter checklists submitted for the state.
Non-breeding adult Brown Pelicans exhibit predominantly white heads and necks, accentuated by pale yellow foreheads. Their elongated bills possess a dual-toned appearance, combining shades of yellow and orange. Their bodies boast a grayish-brown hue, supported by short, ebony legs and webbed feet. Juvenile Brown Pelicans feature brown heads, necks, backs, and wings, accompanied by bluish-gray bills. Their underparts showcase a light brown tone.
The Brown Pelican comprises five subspecies, two of which engage in breeding activities within the United States. P.o.californicus, known as the Pacific Coast variant, and P.o.carolinensis, referred to as the Atlantic Coast variant, exhibit discernible disparities, particularly during the breeding season. Both species exhibit white heads with prominently yellow foreheads. However, their napes undergo a transformation from white to dark brown. Atlantic Brown Pelicans display olive-brown throat pouches, while their Pacific counterparts exhibit reddish skin in the same region.
Pelecanus occidentalis
Length: 48 – 50 inches (122 – 127 cm)
Weight: 131.2 ounces (3718 g)
Wingspan: 78 – 84 inches (198 – 213 cm)
Brown Pelicans either breed and migrate or maintain year-round residency along the Pacific and Atlantic Coasts of North America, extending their presence as far as northern South America.
Brown Pelicans prefer habitats encompassing shallow bodies of water. Estuaries and coastal marine environments serve as their year-round abodes. Additionally, they can be observed resting on mangrove islets, sandbars, breakwaters, and offshore rocks.
Possessing an extraordinary foraging ability, Brown Pelicans undertake deep dives into the ocean depths to seize their prey using their expansive throat pouches. Upon resurfacing, the water is efficiently drained from their pouches, enabling immediate consumption of their capture.
Their dietary preferences predominantly revolve around fish species such as sardines and herring. When not engaged in diving activities, they employ a more casual approach by swimming and seizing prey with their bills. Crustaceans, frogs, eggs, and young birds may also be included in their menu.
Brown Pelican vocalizations consist of sporadic grunts emitted by adults, while juveniles vocalize through squawks to elicit parental feeding.
When constructing their nests, Brown Pelicans typically opt for ground-based locations rather than trees. Islands, mangroves, and cliffs serve as concealed and protected sites for nest establishment. The female pelican assumes the responsibility of constructing the nest, employing reeds, leaves, pebbles, sticks, and soil. Subsequently, she lays two to four eggs, which are jointly incubated by both parents for approximately one month.
Fun Fact: Brown Pelicans employ their webbed feet to cover their eggs during incubation. Sadly, the prevalence of the pesticide DDT at one point resulted in the thinning of their eggshells, leading to breakage caused by the weight of their parental feet. Extensive conservation efforts were necessary to restore Brown Pelican populations.
American White Pelican
American White Pelicans predominantly grace Mississippi’s landscape during the winter months, specifically from October to February. However, some individuals can be encountered throughout the year. Statistical data provided by birdwatchers indicates that American White Pelicans are recorded in approximately 1% of summer checklists and 7% of winter checklists.
These avian creatures bear a substantial resemblance to their Brown Pelican counterparts. However, they possess distinctive features, such as an immense wingspan that ranks second among all North American birds.
Non-breeding adult American White Pelicans exude an ethereal whiteness, accentuated solely by their black flight feathers, which become evident during flight or when their wings are outstretched. Their eyes showcase a bluish-gray shade, complemented by yellow facial skin encircling their eyes. Pale orange bills, pouches, and feet complete their captivating appearance. Juvenile American White Pelicans exhibit light gray feathers with darker brown napes.
Breeding adult American White Pelicans display stark contrasts when compared to non-breeding individuals. They develop a yellow plate on their upper bills, resembling a horn. Their all-white bodies remain intact, while their eyes, bills, legs, and feet assume a brighter shade of orange.
American White Pelicans undergo distinct molting stages, known as the “eclipse” phase. During spring, a visible yellowish patch emerges on their breast and chest. In the summer, their heads become adorned with blackish feathers.
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 across North America, subsequently embarking on winter migrations to the southern Pacific Coast of the United States, the Gulf of Mexico, Mexico, and Central America. They can be spotted during migration in various states across western and central regions of the United States.
These majestic birds predominantly inhabit shallow freshwater lakes, wetlands, and the peripheries of lakes and rivers. During winter, they venture into coastal bays, inlets, and estuaries, where they engage in foraging activities within shallow waters while utilizing sandbars as resting spots.
Fish form the primary component of the American White Pelicans’ diet. They swim along the water’s surface, skillfully capturing their prey within their colossal bills. They also partake in cooperative foraging endeavors with other birds, orchestrating strategic maneuvers to drive fish toward the shore, facilitating efficient consumption.
Opportunistic feeders, American White Pelicans embark on extensive journeys in search of more abundant feeding grounds. They demonstrate a versatile palate, indulging in crayfish, amphibians, salamanders, and even engaging in pilferage from the surface-dwelling prey of other birds.
American White Pelicans maintain a generally silent demeanor, occasionally emitting a few grunts. However, their young exhibit greater vocalization within large colonies, employing vocal pleas to procure nourishment from their parents.
Nests constructed by American White Pelicans consist of simple, shallow depressions on the ground. Twigs, sticks, reeds, and other materials are added atop the soil to provide protection for the eggs.
The female pelican proceeds to lay one to two eggs, which are diligently incubated by both parents for a period of up to thirty-six days. Regrettably, due to siblicide, only a single chick survives within each nest, as one sibling eliminates the other.
Fun Fact: The impressive bill of the American White Pelican possesses a capacity to hold three gallons of water. By tilting its bill downwards after capturing fish, it efficiently drains the water, allowing for the swallowing of the remaining catch housed within its throat sac.