Brown Pelican

Of all the birds on the Texas coast, the Brown pelican has to be the easiest to photograph. They seem to not be afraid of humans, so it is easy to get close to them to photograph them, and because they are large, you really don't have to get very close.

In the early 1970's they were placed on the endangered species list. The shell of their eggs were being weakened by the effects of DDT. This was a particular problem for them because they do not incubate their eggs like most birds. Most birds sit on their nests, Brown pelicans incubate their eggs by standing on them. They were removed from the endangered species list late last year.

All creatures, including us humans, are opportunistic. Brown pelicans seem to take it to a completely different level. I have often observed them standing just a few feet away from a fisherman, waiting, hoping for a handout. This series of photos was taken just below a fish cleaning station. They were being amply rewarded for their opportunism.

Some Favorites from 2009

Thought I would, for the next few days, post a few of my favorites from last year.

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American white pelican
Taken February 2009
Fulton, TX


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Brown Pelican
Taken February 2009
Port Aransas, TX

Watery Wednesday--Brown Pelicans

While I was in Texas in February I enjoyed watching the Brown Pelicans. They are coastal birds, so we don’t see them in Nebraska. The difference in how American white pelicans and Brown pelicans forage and feed particularly interested me. American white pelicans feed by swimming, usually in a group , dipping their pouched bill for fish.

The Brown pelican forages by plunge-diving from heights up to 65 feet or 20m. The Brown pelicans I observed perched on piers or rock formations. Quoting from the Sibley Guide to Bird Life & Behavior

When diving, a Brown Pelican first brings its legs in against its body and retracts its head, then slowly extends the neck and angles the wings backward. The head remains stable during these maneuvers, so that the bird can sight prey along the length of its bill.

On contact with the water, the pelican draws back its wings and opens its bill, centering the prey between its jaws. Its pouch distends rapidly to an enormous size, capable of holding about 21 pints (10 liters), or about 17 ½ pounds (8 kg) of water, and closes around the fish.

Check out other Watery Wednesday photos