Brown Pelican

Pelecanus occidentalis

The Brown Pelican is the only pelican species that hunts by diving headfirst into the water from heights of up to 60 feet.

Scientific name

Pelecanus occidentalis

Taxonomy

Animalia › Chordata › Aves › Pelecaniformes › Pelecanidae › Pelecanus

IUCN Red List status

Least Concern

Population trend

increasing

Biome

aquatic

Habitat

Coastal waters, sandy beaches, lagoons, and mangrove swamps.

Diet

Mainly small schooling fish such as menhaden, anchovies, and silversides.

Range

Atlantic Coast of North America, Pacific Coast of the Americas, Gulf of Mexico, Caribbean Islands

Size

Length: 4 feet; Wingspan: 6.5-7.5 feet; Weight: 5-10 lbs.

Lifespan

15-25 years

Active

diurnal

Threats

Entanglement in fishing gear, oil spills, and plastic pollution.

Safe to approach?

Harmless but defensive if cornered. Maintain a 20-foot distance. Never feed them, as it disrupts natural hunting and leads to injury. If a pelican is hooked by fishing line, do not cut the line; reel it in slowly and use a towel to cover its head before removing the hook, or contact a wildlife rescuer.

The brown pelican ( Pelecanus occidentalis ) is a North American bird of the pelican family, Pelecanidae. It is one of three pelican species found in the Americas and one of only two that feeds by diving in water. It is found on the Atlantic Coast from Nova Scotia to the mouth of the Amazon River, and along the Pacific Coast from British Columbia to northern Chile, including the Galapagos Islands. The nominate subspecies in its breeding plumage...

Photo: Jay Pruett, CC-BY, via iNaturalist

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