PELICANS
How can I describe my feelings about pelicans? I can’t. If I had a week where I wouldn’t want to do anything else except watch pelicans, I would still want more time – they are that wildly entertaining!! Who hasn’t chuckled at their wild and wobbly dives into water in search of fish? I love watching them waddle along boardwalks on their webbed feet and while they appear large and awkward in the sky, they execute perilous landing situations with graceful aplomb.
Perhaps they won’t put out the welcome mat for you but they are quite comfortable in the presence of humans. You’ll often find them hanging out with Egrets on fishing piers.
Brown Pelicans have the most amazing pouches (like their white cousins) that can hold large quantities of fish. However, this juvenile was a bit too ambitious trying to swallow “stolen goods” while calm vultures idled on the side. I was afraid that the little guy would choke but he survived to take on more.
One way of distinguishing the juveniles is by their dark reddish brown heads. This evolves into a gorgeous white and yellow (in mating season) coif as they mature.
If you love fishing and plan on doing some when you come here, please be careful with your fishing hooks. Discarded fish hooks have caused tearing in their pouches – vital to their survival. We have seen so many disastrous results in other wildlife from careless disposing of line and fish hooks. Please, please keep our "Silly Pellies" safe!! Click here for a Pelican gallery