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GALLERIES > BIRDS > PELECANIFORMES > PELECANIDAE > BROWN PELICAN [Pelecanus occidentalis]


Brown Pelican Image @ Kiwifoto.com
 
 
Location: Orange County (pelagic waters), CA
GPS: 33.5N, -118.1W, depth=-762' MAP
Date: February 28, 2016
ID : B13K0922 [4896 x 3264]

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Brown Pelican Image @ Kiwifoto.com
 
 
Location: Orange County (pelagic waters), CA
GPS: 33.5N, -118.1W, depth=-762' MAP
Date: February 28, 2016
ID : B13K0918 [4896 x 3264]

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Brown Pelican Image @ Kiwifoto.com
 
 
Location: Orange County (pelagic waters), CA
GPS: 33.5N, -118.1W, depth=-762' MAP
Date: February 28, 2016
ID : B13K0921 [4896 x 3264]

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Brown Pelican Picture @ Kiwifoto.com
 
 
Location: Playa del Rey (Ballona Creek), CA
GPS: 34.0N, -118.4W, elev=0' MAP
Date: December 11, 2011
ID : B13K0668 [4896 x 3264]

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Brown Pelican Photo @ Kiwifoto.com
 
 
Location: Estero San Jose, San Jose del Cabo, Mexico
GPS: 23.1N, -109.7W, elev=26' MAP
Date: February 1, 2013
ID : B13K2118 [4896 x 3264]

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Brown Pelican Photo @ Kiwifoto.com
 
 
Location: Playa del Rey (Ballona Creek), CA
GPS: 34.0N, -118.4W, elev=0' MAP
Date: April 25, 2011
ID : B13K7873 [4896 x 3264]

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Brown Pelican Picture @ Kiwifoto.com
 
 
Location: Playa del Rey (Ballona Creek), CA
GPS: 34.0N, -118.4W, elev=0' MAP
Date: January 2, 2008
ID : 1782 [3888 x 2592]

Brown Pelican (juvenile)
 
 
Location: Salton Sea, CA
GPS: 33.2N, -115.6W, elev=-232' MAP
Date: August 15, 2009
ID : 7C2V1635 [3888 x 2592]

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Brown Pelican (Eastern)
 
 
Location: Goose Island State Park, TX
GPS: 28.1N, -96.9W, elev=-1' MAP
Date: February 1, 2009
ID : 7C2V4439 [3888 x 2592]

Brown Pelican Picture @ Kiwifoto.com
 
 
Location: Playa del Rey (Ballona Creek), CA
GPS: 34.0N, -118.4W, elev=0' MAP
Date: January 2, 2008
ID : 1777 [3888 x 2592]

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Brown Pelican Picture @ Kiwifoto.com
 
 
Location: Tijuana (Coronados Islands), Mexico
Date: April 4, 2009
ID : 7C2V6946 [3888 x 2592]

Brown Pelican Image @ Kiwifoto.com
 
 
Location: Playa del Rey (Ballona Creek), CA
Date: October 2, 2007
ID : 4353 [3888 x 2592]

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Brown Pelican Picture @ Kiwifoto.com
 
 
Location: Playa del Rey (Ballona Creek), CA
GPS: 34.0N, -118.4W, elev=0' MAP
Date: January 2, 2008
ID : 1778 [3888 x 2592]

Brown Pelican Photo @ Kiwifoto.com
 
 
Location: Tijuana (Coronado Islands), Mexico
GPS: 32.4N, -117.2W, elev=0' MAP
Date: March 15, 2008
ID : 6344 [3888 x 2592]

bird photography

Brown Pelican Picture @ Kiwifoto.com
 
 
Location: Tijuana (Coronado Islands), Mexico
GPS: 32.4N, -117.2W, elev=0' MAP
Date: March 15, 2008
ID : 6498 [3888 x 2592]

Brown Pelican Image @ Kiwifoto.com
 
 
Location: Playa del Rey (Ballona Creek), CA
Date: April 24, 2007
ID : ? [3888 x 2592]

nature photography

Brown Pelican Photo @ Kiwifoto.com
 
 
Location: Puerto Egas, Santiago Island, Gal?pagos
GPS: -0.2S, -90.9W, elev=27' MAP
Date: May 20, 2008
ID : 7C2V1823 [3888 x 2592]

Brown Pelican Picture @ Kiwifoto.com
 
 
Location: Puerto Egas, Santiago Island, Gal?pagos
GPS: -0.2S, -90.9W, elev=27' MAP
Date: May 20, 2008
ID : 7C2V1824 [3888 x 2592]

nature photography

Brown Pelican Picture @ Kiwifoto.com
 
 
Location: Puerto Egas, Santiago Island, Gal?pagos
GPS: -0.2S, -90.9W, elev=27' MAP
Date: May 20, 2008
ID : 7C2V1880 [3888 x 2592]

Brown Pelican Picture @ Kiwifoto.com
 
 
Location: Puerto Egas, Santiago Island, Gal?pagos
GPS: -0.2S, -90.9W, elev=27' MAP
Date: May 20, 2008
ID : 7C2V1788 [3888 x 2592]

nature photography

Brown Pelican Image @ Kiwifoto.com
 
 
Location: Puerto Ayora, Santa Cruz Island, Gal?pagos
GPS: -0.8S, -90.3W, elev=0' MAP
Date: May 19, 2008
ID : 7C2V1727 [3888 x 2592]

bird photography

SPECIES INFO

The Brown Pelican (Pelecanus occidentalis) is the smallest of the eight species of pelican, although it is a large bird in nearly every other regard. It is 106-137 cm (42-54 in) in length, weighs from 2.75 to 5.5 kg (6-12 lbs) and has a wingspan from 1.83 to 2.5 m (6 to 8.2 ft).

It lives strictly on coasts from Washington and Virginia south to northern Chile and the mouth of the Amazon River. Some immature birds may stray to inland freshwater lakes. After nesting, North American birds move in flocks further north along the coasts, returning to warmer waters for winter.

This bird is distinguished from the American White Pelican by its brown body and its habit of diving for fish from the air, as opposed to co-operative fishing from the surface. It eats mainly herring-like fish. Groups of Brown Pelicans often travel in single file, flying low over the water's surface.

The nest location varies from a simple scrape on the ground on an island to a bulky stick nest in a low tree. These birds nest in colonies, usually on islands.

Pesticides like DDT and dieldrin threatened its future in the southeast United States and California in the early 1970s. Pesticides also threatened the pelican population in Florida in this period. A research group from the University of Tampa headed by Dr. Ralph Schreiber conducted research in the Tampa Bay/St Petersburg area and found that DDT caused the pelican eggshells to be overly-thin and incapable of supporting the embryo to maturity. As a result of this research, DDT usage was eliminated in Florida and the rest of the country.

Along with the American White Pelican, the Brown Pelican is protected by the Migratory Bird Treaty Act of 1918.

There are four subspecies:

P. o. californicus (California Brown Pelican)
P. o. carolinensis (Eastern Brown Pelican)
P. o. occidentalis (Caribbean Brown Pelican)
P. o. thagus (Galapagos Brown Pelican)

The Peruvian Pelican, Pelecanus thagus, used to be considered a subspecies of the Brown Pelican (P. o. thagus). However, due to its well-defined allopatry and because it is much larger and heavier than its relatives, it was reclassified as a separate species.

The Brown Pelican is the state bird of Louisiana.




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brown_pelican's Range Map Click here to see the Brown Pelican's range map!
Listen to the Brown Pelican Song:



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