From Opus

Photo by Leslie
Malibu Beach, California, May 2004

Includes Galapagos Brown Pelican

Pelecanus occidentalis

[edit] Identification

Smallest of the pelicans.
L. 106-137 cm (42-54 in)
W. 1.83-2.5 m (6 to 8.2 ft)
Weight 2.75-5.5 kg (6-12 lbs)

Younger birds are less strongly colored with pale belly.

[edit] Similar Species

Can be told from the American White Pelican by its brown body and their different feeding habits Brown Pelican never show the contrast of black flight feathers to white wing linings seen from a flying American White Pelican.
Peruvian Pelican is a much larger species where the silvery patch on the upper-wing coverts is separated from the body by a dark area on the inner wing; Peruvian Pelican also has a paler body.

[edit] Distribution

Juvenile
Photo by bobsofpa
J. N. Ding Darling National Wildlife Refuge, Florida, USA, February 2009

Washington and Virginia south to Peru (and probably northern Chile) and the mouth of the Amazon River. Post-breeding, North American birds move northwards in flocks along the coasts, returning south for the winter.

One of the subspecies is limited to Galapagos and has sometimes been called Galapagos Brown Pelican.

[edit] Taxonomy

[edit] Subspecies^[1]

There are 5 subspecies:

• P. o. occidentalis (Caribbean)

• West Indies and Caribbean to islands off Venezuela

• P. o. carolinensis (Atlantic);

Breeding plumage
Photo by jonsund
Gamble Rogers Memorial State Recreation Area, Flagler Beach, Florida, USA, May 2009

• Locally on Atlantic coast of southern North America

• P. o. californicus (California):

• Anacapa Island and islands off Baja and in Gulf of California

• P. o. murphyi:

• Pacific coast of north-western South America from Colombia to Peru and probably northern Chile

• P. o. urinator:

• Galapagos Islands

Peruvian Pelican has been split from Brown Pelican.

[edit] Habitat

Juvenile
Photo by zerb21
Key West, Florida, USA, January 2011

At sea close to coasts, coastal lagoons, and saltmarshes. Immature birds occasionally seen at inland lakes.

[edit] Behaviour

Groups of Brown Pelicans often travel in single file, flying low over the water's surface. They feed individually, diving for fish.

[edit] Diet

Mainly herring-like fish.

[edit] References

1. Clements, JF. 2010. The Clements Checklist of Birds of the World. 6th ed., with updates to December 2010. Ithaca: Cornell Univ. Press. ISBN 978-0801445019. Spreadsheet available at http://www.birds.cornell.edu/clementschecklist/Clements%206.5.xls/view
2. Wikipedia
3. BF Member observations

• List of references

[edit] External Links