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Today we’re going to take a look at an unmistakable species, easily recognized when seen. In our part of the Okanagan, however, they are not common, usually sighted in either April, May or June when they pass through northwards in migration. Huge flocks migrate together from their wintering grounds in coastal California and the Gulf of Mexico. In summer they breed on islands in freshwater lakes in south central Canada, the western US and northeast Mexico. They are very rarely seen in eastern Canada.

 

Part of a large northbound migrating flock seen near Osoyoos in April, 2024

Two species of pelican are found in North America; the Brown Pelican common at the coasts of California, Mexico and the southern states, and the American White Pelican, which prefers inland lakes, and is our focus today. Excellent fliers with their long broad wings, they can soar to great heights when migrating or flying to feeding grounds. They are also buoyant swimmers which feed on fish.

This photo shows that the birds are in breeding plumage.

American White Pelicans are enormous white birds with black outer wing feathers, huge orange-yellow-pink beaks each with a fleshy elastic pouch beneath it and bright orange feet and legs. Except in migration they are always seen on or near water. These birds are ~4.25ft /~1.3 – 1.7m in size, with wings spanning ~7.75 /~2.4-2.9m. You see what I mean by ‘enormous’! In breeding plumage a distinctive ridge protrudes noticeably in the middle of their beaks, not seen in non-breeding birds or after breeding is over in late summer. The purpose of this ridge is unknown. Perhaps it’s simply a signal to potential mates that the bird is of breeding maturity.

And here’s a closer look at a solo bird from the flock.

These birds are highly colonial, most of the world’s population concentrated in just a few isolated wetland complexes, several of which are in central inland B. C. at Stum Lake and other similar lakes. Nests are simply depressions in the ground. Both sexes incubate the one or two eggs and one brood is raised annually.

Two resting pelicans, Mud Bay, Kelowna, May 2024. The bird on the left shows an all-white head
and the prominent ridge on the beak, indicating it is of breeding age.
The bird at the right has a dark patch on its head and will probably not breed this year.

Their diet consists mainly of small fish, but they do occasionally eat small amphibians or crayfish as well. It’s fun to watch them feed if you get the chance. Unlike the Brown Pelican, which hunts with spectacular solo twisting plunge-dives from the air into the water, the American White Pelican feeds while swimming and is a cooperative feeder. Often a flock will forage together, beating the water with their wings in coordinated movement to drive fish into the centre of their circle of pelicans or into shallow water, where they can easily be caught. The excitement is palpable and attracts other waterfowl such as gulls to the action. It’s striking that the two pelican species have such dramatically different feeding methods.

The birds above and below are all in post-breeding plumage, photos taken in late summer in the W Chilcotin, BC.

American White Pelicans are social in migration, as we’ve seen, and also when nesting and roosting. You are most likely to see the big migration flocks when they’re on the move, especially near Osoyoos, but occasionally smaller groups are spotted when they come down to rest in the central Okanagan before continuing on. Often birders are trying to spot tiny birds, hard to find and even harder to identify accurately. It’s always a treat to see such a large, unmistakable species as this, especially in great numbers.

Pam Laing

Okanagan birder