Avian,  natural areas,  Pineridge Natural Area

American White Pelican

May 12, 2022

I mentioned pelicans in a post a week ago and one commenter was surprised to know we have them out here. When people who live along the coast talk pelican they are referring to the Brown Pelican (Pelecanus occidentalis). What we have out here is the American White Pelican (Pelecanus erythrorhynchos). American White Pelicans are one of the largest North American birds. Watching them fly is amazing. They soar with incredible steadiness on broad, white-and-black wings. On the water they dip their pouched bills to scoop up fish, or tip-up like an oversized dabbling duck. This is a group of them on Dixon Reservoir working together to herd fish into the shallows for easy feeding. We find them in this area during spring while they feed and nest. If you’re interested here is a good read on them.

Retired. Having fun with photography. Journal daily. Meditate daily. Learning haiku. Have a love for fountain pens.

2 Comments

  • Tom Dills

    May 13, 2022 at 6:12 am

    Thanks for the pelicanology lesson, Monte. I had looked up these guys after your original post and realized that they were quite prevalent inland, especially in the Great Lakes area. I had only seen white pelicans before in the Everglades a few years ago and assumed they were salt water feeding birds. But alas! They are quite majestic and surprisingly huge compared to their cousins. It’s cool to see them in Colorado!

    http://tomdills.com/blog/2020/03/08/more-from-the-everglades/white-pelican-and-cormorants-during-our-everglades-national-park/

    • Monte Stevens

      May 13, 2022 at 7:38 am

      Thanks for sharing your image. I’ve also noticed the cormorants and pelicans do hang around the better fishing spots. I actually needed to look all this information up about these birds and see the difference between the brown and white pelicans. Yes, I read where they can reach a 9 foot wingspan. I like that new terminology: pelicanology.

      This past week I met a young man at Pineridge Natural Area with binoculars hanging around his neck. I was on a favorite bench with my journal on my lap and my binoculars sitting beside me. He started a conversation and let me know he was a student at CSU in ornithology. That was also a new word for me. Have a great day, my friend!