American White Pelican
A species of Pelicans Scientific name : Pelecanus erythrorhynchos Genus : Pelicans
American White Pelican, A species of Pelicans
Botanical name: Pelecanus erythrorhynchos
Genus: Pelicans
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Description People often ask General Info
Photo By silversea_starsong , used under CC-BY-NC-4.0 /Cropped and compressed from original 
Description
The American white pelican rivals the trumpeter swan, with a similar overall length, as the longest bird native to North America. Both very large and plump, it has an overall length of about 50–70 in (130–180 cm), courtesy of the huge beak which measures 11.3–15.2 in (290–390 mm) in males and 10.3–14.2 in (260–360 mm) in females. It has a wingspan of about 95–120 in (240–300 cm). The species also has the second largest average wingspan of any North American bird, after the California condor. This large wingspan allows the bird to easily use soaring flight for migration. Body weight can range between 7.7 and 30 lb (3.5 and 13.6 kg), although typically these birds average between 11 and 20 lb (5.0 and 9.1 kg). One mean body mass of 15.4 lb (7.0 kg) was reported. Another study found mean weights to be somewhat lower than expected, with eleven males averaging 13.97 lb (6.34 kg) and six females averaging 10.95 lb (4.97 kg). Among standard measurements, the wing chord measures 20–26.7 in (51–68 cm) and the tarsus measures 3.9–5.4 in (9.9–13.7 cm) long. The plumage is almost entirely bright white, except the black primary and secondary remiges, which are hardly visible except in flight. From early spring until after breeding has finished in mid-late summer, the breast feathers have a yellowish hue. After moulting into the eclipse plumage, the upper head often has a grey hue, as blackish feathers grow between the small wispy white crest. The bill is huge and flat on the top, with a large throat sac below, and, in the breeding season, is vivid orange in color as are the iris, the bare skin around the eye, and the feet. In the breeding season, there is a laterally flattened "horn" on the upper bill, located about one-third the bill's length behind the tip. This is the only one of the eight species of pelican to have a bill "horn". The horn is shed after the birds have mated and laid their eggs. Outside the breeding season the bare parts become duller in color, with the naked facial skin yellow and the bill, pouch, and feet an orangy-flesh color. Apart from the difference in size, males and females look exactly alike. Immature birds have light grey plumage with darker brownish nape and remiges. Their bare parts are dull grey. Chicks are naked at first, then grow white down feathers all over, before moulting to the immature plumage. 
Size
1.5 - 1.6 m
Colors
White
Life Expectancy
26 years
Nest Placement
Ground
Nestling Period
63 - 70 days
Feeding Habits
American White Pelican consume mainly small fish from shallow wetlands, such as minnows and carp, as well as salamanders, tadpoles, and crayfish. Opportunistic feeders, their diet varies with prey availability and water levels. They forage by swimming, not diving, eating over 4 pounds of fish daily, sometimes traveling far from saline nesting sites to feed. They prefer group foraging to corral fish but will feed alone in deep water or practice kleptoparasitism when necessary.
Habitat
American White Pelican primarily inhabit large, shallow, and often isolated wetlands including lakes, marshes, and salt bays. They prefer breeding on secluded islands in freshwater bodies or temporary islands in the northern Great Plains' wetlands. The bird favors shallow waters for foraging, extending to deeper lakes if prey surfaces due to heat. During migration, similar environments are used as stopovers for feeding and resting, with catfish farms along the Mississippi Delta being notable springtime feeding grounds. In winter, american White Pelican seek out coastal areas such as bays, estuaries, and sloughs, while inland winter habitats are unusual exceptions, limited to unfrozen river stretches or areas like Southern California's Salton Sea.
Nest Behavior
The nest building is cooperative, with both parents using their bills to scoop materials. No material is gathered from afar. American White Pelican lay eggs and raise young together, with the nest deteriorating to a shallow cup by season's end.
Nest Characteristics
American White Pelican build their nests on flat surfaces of gravel, sand, or soil. The shallow depression, about 2 feet across with a low rim, may include sparse vegetation in dry areas or be placed under shrubbery in forests.
Dite type
Piscivorous
People often ask
General Info
Behavior
American White Pelican are sociable waterbirds that exhibit remarkable coordination in their daily routines. They typically soar on broad wings using thermal currents to travel or forage in V-formation flocks. While nimble in flight, they display a cumbersome yet swift walk on land, complemented by adept swimming skills owing to their webbed feet. They engage in synchronized group foraging, corralling fish with concerted wing flapping and bill dippings near shorelines. During courtship, pairs partake in elaborate aerial displays and ground rituals involving strutting and bowing. Uniquely, siblicide occurs in their nests, often leaving one surviving chick. Growing chicks congregate into crèches, where parents painstakingly identify and sustain their offspring. In response to threats, american White Pelican initiate defensive posturing or aggressive bill-jabbing lunges towards predators like eagles or owls. Their distinct behavior reflects a complex social structure and survival strategy in their habitat.
Distribution Area
American white pelicans nest in colonies of several hundred pairs on islands in remote brackish and freshwater lakes of inland North America. The most northerly nesting colony can be found on islands in the rapids of the Slave River between Fort Fitzgerald, Alberta, and Fort Smith, Northwest Territories. Several groups have been visiting the Useless Bay (Washington) bird sanctuary since 2015. About 10–20% of the population uses Gunnison Island in the Great Basin's Great Salt Lake as a nesting ground. The southernmost colonies are in southwestern Ontario and northeastern California. Nesting colonies exist as far south as Albany County in southern Wyoming. They winter on the Pacific and Gulf of Mexico coasts from central California and Florida south to Panama, and along the Mississippi River at least as far north as St. Paul, Minnesota. In winter quarters, they are rarely found on the open seashore, preferring estuaries and lakes. They cross deserts and mountains but avoid the open ocean on migration. But stray birds, often blown off course by hurricanes, have been seen in the Caribbean. In Colombian territory it has been recorded first on February 22, 1997, on the San Andrés Island, where they might have been swept by Hurricane Marco which passed nearby in November 1996. Since then, there have also been a few observations likely to pertain to this species on the South American mainland, e.g. at Calamar. Wild American white pelicans may live for more than 16 years. In captivity, the record lifespan stands at over 34 years.
Species Status
This species is protected by the Migratory Bird Treaty Act of 1918. It has the California Department of Fish and Game protective status California species of special concern (CSC). On a global scale however, the species is common enough to qualify as a Species of Least Concern according to the IUCN.
Scientific Classification
Phylum
Chordates Class
Birds Order
Pelicans and Relatives Family
Pelicans Genus
Pelicans Species
American White Pelican 
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