brown pelican

Brown pelicanBrown pelican

By Aye’Jay CustardBy Aye’Jay Custard

DescriptioDescriptionn

Identification Tips:Identification Tips: Length: 41 inchesLength: 41 inches Wingspan: 90 inches Wingspan: 90 inches Sexes similar Sexes similar Huge, dark bird Huge, dark bird Long bill with a pouch,Long bill with a pouch, dark on Atlantic/Gulfdark on Atlantic/Gulf coasts; bill paler alongcoasts; bill paler along Pacific coast, Pacific coast,

becomesbecomes season. season. Flies with neck Flies with neck

tucked. tucked. Plunges from great Plunges from great

heights into water to heights into water to catch fish .catch fish .

Brown pelicans fly close Brown pelicans fly close to the water. to the water.

Range: worldwide oceans and lakes

Morphology/ecology: large fish-eating birds; totipalmate feet (webs connect all four toes); bare distendible gular pouch; some capture fish by aerial diving (bobbies, pelicans) other by swimming (cormorants)

Behavior: chicks are altricial (naked and blind; baby pelicans are ugly!) except for tropicbirds; some white pelicans fish cooperatively by forming a net of birds

Other notes: cormorants used by people in Asia to catch fish

Taxonomic notes: two familys formerly with storks (herons, ibis) have been moved here

Important families:

*Pelicanidae: pelicans - huge pouched beaks for fishing*Phalacrocoracidae: cormorants - catch fish swimming under water*Sulidae: boobies - dive to catch fish *Fregatidae: frigatebirds - pirates that steal food from other birds*Ardeidae: herons - long necked marsh birds*Threskiornithidae: ibis & spoonbills - marsh birds with interesting beaks

*ORDER PELECANIFORMES — Full-webbed Swimmers (Pelicans and allies), herons, ibis — 9 families; 159 species

FeedingFeeding

When feeding, pelicans soar in the air When feeding, pelicans soar in the air looking for fish near the surface of the looking for fish near the surface of the water. When a fish is spotted, the water. When a fish is spotted, the pelican goes into a dive, plunging 30 pelican goes into a dive, plunging 30 to 60 feet bill-first into the water. The to 60 feet bill-first into the water. The impact of hitting the water would kill impact of hitting the water would kill an ordinary bird, but the pelican is an ordinary bird, but the pelican is equipped with air sacs just beneath equipped with air sacs just beneath the skin to cushion the blow. the skin to cushion the blow.

FeedingFeeding

The loose skin on the underside of the bill The loose skin on the underside of the bill extends to form a scoop net with an extends to form a scoop net with an amazing capacity of 2.5 gallons. The amazing capacity of 2.5 gallons. The pelican drains the water from its pouch pelican drains the water from its pouch and tosses its head back to swallow the and tosses its head back to swallow the fish. Their diet consists of menhaden and fish. Their diet consists of menhaden and mullet fish. They lay 2 to 4 white eggs mullet fish. They lay 2 to 4 white eggs during breeding season, and live up to during breeding season, and live up to 30 years or more. Young pelicans are fed 30 years or more. Young pelicans are fed for about 9 weeks. During this time, for about 9 weeks. During this time, each nestling will eat about 150 pounds each nestling will eat about 150 pounds of fish. of fish.

Interesting factsInteresting facts

As recently as the early As recently as the early 1970s, Brown Pelican 1970s, Brown Pelican was seriously was seriously endangered.endangered.

HabitatHabitat

The Brown Pelican The Brown Pelican lives near the lives near the ground and builds ground and builds its nest in weeds . its nest in weeds . It lives around the It lives around the Gulf Coast and is Gulf Coast and is extremely rare.extremely rare.

GULF OF MEXICO OIL SPILLGULF OF MEXICO OIL SPILL

Hounded by hunters and fishermen, Hounded by hunters and fishermen, driven to near-extinction by driven to near-extinction by chemical pollution, the brown chemical pollution, the brown pelican has survived a century of pelican has survived a century of human abuse -- only to face another human abuse -- only to face another challenge from the giant Gulf of challenge from the giant Gulf of Mexico Spill threatening to Mexico Spill threatening to devastate its marine environment. devastate its marine environment.

GULF OF MEXICO OIL SPILLGULF OF MEXICO OIL SPILL

The odd-looking seabird with a The odd-looking seabird with a distinctive pouch beneath its foot-distinctive pouch beneath its foot-long bill was removedlong bill was removed from the federal endangered species list only last November. Now its recovery could be undermined by millions of gallons of oil polluting the Gulf since an April 20 rig explosion.

GULF OF MEXICO Oil SPILLGULF OF MEXICO Oil SPILL

So far, no brown pelicans are So far, no brown pelicans are known to have died from causes known to have died from causes related to the spill. That's likely to related to the spill. That's likely to change if the oil fouls their nesting change if the oil fouls their nesting and feeding grounds along coastal and feeding grounds along coastal and barrier islands, officials with and barrier islands, officials with the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service say.say.

GUIL OF MEXICO OIL SPILLGUIL OF MEXICO OIL SPILL

Officials say they don't know the death Officials say they don't know the death toll from the spill, although state toll from the spill, although state wildlife veterinarian James LaCour said wildlife veterinarian James LaCour said 10 oil-soaked bird carcasses have 10 oil-soaked bird carcasses have been found in Louisiana. A total of 154 been found in Louisiana. A total of 154 sea turtles, most identified as the sea turtles, most identified as the endangered Kemp's ridley variety, and endangered Kemp's ridley variety, and 12 dolphins have washed ashore in 12 dolphins have washed ashore in recent weeks, but it's unknown recent weeks, but it's unknown whether oil killed them. whether oil killed them.

MatingMating

Mate selection seems to be an annual Mate selection seems to be an annual affair carried out by the female. Some affair carried out by the female. Some will choose the same male every year. will choose the same male every year. The pair will defend the nest site against The pair will defend the nest site against competitors. The distance between nests competitors. The distance between nests is typically equal to that span whereby a is typically equal to that span whereby a neighbor's outstretched bill is just out of neighbor's outstretched bill is just out of reach when both parties are sitting on reach when both parties are sitting on their respective clutch.their respective clutch.

EggsEggs

Female pelicans typically lay two to Female pelicans typically lay two to three eggs at two to three day intervals. three eggs at two to three day intervals. Incubation may last from 29 to 35 days Incubation may last from 29 to 35 days and is performed by both sexes. The and is performed by both sexes. The parents relieve one another every day or parents relieve one another every day or two and spend off duty hours feeding two and spend off duty hours feeding themselves rather than each other. The themselves rather than each other. The young are born naked and helpless and young are born naked and helpless and regurgitated foodstuffs are extracted regurgitated foodstuffs are extracted from the cavernous maws of the parents. from the cavernous maws of the parents. Floods and cold rainy weather cause Floods and cold rainy weather cause great losses of eggs and young, so more great losses of eggs and young, so more than one chick being raised in a nest is than one chick being raised in a nest is rarerare

MaturityMaturity

At three to four weeks of age, the At three to four weeks of age, the young can escape into the reeds or young can escape into the reeds or water; at ten to twelve weeks they water; at ten to twelve weeks they leave the colony temporarily and leave the colony temporarily and begin to fly and to fish on their begin to fly and to fish on their own. Most are sexually mature at own. Most are sexually mature at three and four years of age.three and four years of age.

Evolution and systematicsEvolution and systematics

One of the earliest known pelicans One of the earliest known pelicans was was Pelecanus grandisPelecanus grandis from the from the Lower Miocene (22.5–5 million Lower Miocene (22.5–5 million years ago). At least three other years ago). At least three other species have been identified in species have been identified in later deposits from that epoch.later deposits from that epoch.

Evolution and systematicEvolution and systematic

The question of phylogeny among the The question of phylogeny among the pelecaniform birds is tricky: the pelecaniform birds is tricky: the Phalacrocoracidae, Sulidae, Phalacrocoracidae, Sulidae, Fregatidae, and Phaetheontidae share Fregatidae, and Phaetheontidae share a number of morphological a number of morphological characteristics with pelicans. Perhaps characteristics with pelicans. Perhaps the most significant shared the most significant shared characteristic is the presence of characteristic is the presence of webbing connecting all four toes. webbing connecting all four toes.


In addition, these families exhibit a In addition, these families exhibit a greater similarity in their social displays greater similarity in their social displays than would be expected by evolutionary than would be expected by evolutionary chance alone. This grouping conflicts with chance alone. This grouping conflicts with DNA data that suggest that pelicans are DNA data that suggest that pelicans are only distantly related to these taxa and only distantly related to these taxa and are more closely related to the shoebill are more closely related to the shoebill ((Balaeniceps rexBalaeniceps rex) and the hammerhead ) and the hammerhead ((Scopus umbrettaScopus umbretta) than to other extant ) than to other extant birdsbirds


Ornithologists also disagree on the Ornithologists also disagree on the phylogenetic relationships among phylogenetic relationships among the seven living species. Most the seven living species. Most researchers agree, however, that researchers agree, however, that the brown pelican (the brown pelican (Pelecanus Pelecanus occidentalisoccidentalis) assumed its own ) assumed its own evolutionary trajectory separate evolutionary trajectory separate from the others quite early.from the others quite early.

Why is the brown pelican Why is the brown pelican endangered?endangered?

The brown pelican is endangered partly because The brown pelican is endangered partly because of humans catching them on a hook and over of humans catching them on a hook and over 200 brown pelicans have bin rescued at a wharf 200 brown pelicans have bin rescued at a wharf and have bin injured last summer.and have bin injured last summer.

. In the late 1970's, there were no Brown . In the late 1970's, there were no Brown Pelicans left in Louisianna due to DDT. In the Pelicans left in Louisianna due to DDT. In the early 1990's, as their numbers began to early 1990's, as their numbers began to increase, Brown Pelicans were moved from the increase, Brown Pelicans were moved from the endangered species list and placed on the endangered species list and placed on the threatened species list.Currently, their biggest threatened species list.Currently, their biggest threat comes from loss of habitatthreat comes from loss of habitat

What is being done to help What is being done to help the brown pelican?the brown pelican?

DDT was banned and human DDT was banned and human disturbances of nesting colonies disturbances of nesting colonies was also banned.was also banned.

ResourcResourceses

http://www.tpwd.state.tx.us/nature/http://www.tpwd.state.tx.us/nature/endang/birds/bpelican.htmendang/birds/bpelican.htm

http://www.enchantedlearning.com/http://www.enchantedlearning.com/subjects/birds/printouts/subjects/birds/printouts/Brownpelicanprintout.shtmlBrownpelicanprintout.shtml

http://www.dfg.ca.gov/te_species/index/http://www.dfg.ca.gov/te_species/index/classification/birdslist/pelican.htmlclassification/birdslist/pelican.html

http://www.rit.edu/~rhrsbi/http://www.rit.edu/~rhrsbi/GalapagosPages/BrownPelican.htmlGalapagosPages/BrownPelican.html

http://pelicanharbor.bizland.com/http://pelicanharbor.bizland.com/pelicansinfo.chtmlpelicansinfo.chtml

http://www.wsdot.wa.gov/environment/http://www.wsdot.wa.gov/environment/eao/biology/usfw-list/Pelican.htmeao/biology/usfw-list/Pelican.htm

brown pelican

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