American White Pelican

The American White Pelican is among the largest flying birds in North America, an unmistakable, enormous white waterbird that breeds on remote inland lakes and winters along warmer coasts and wetlands to the south. Unlike its coastal relative the Brown Pelican, it does not plunge-dive but instead fishes cooperatively from the water's surface.

Appearance

Adults are almost entirely white with black flight feathers visible mainly in flight, a huge orange-yellow bill and throat pouch, and orange legs. During the breeding season, adults grow a distinctive flattened, horn-like plate on the upper bill, which is shed after courtship and egg-laying.

Key field marks

• Enormous size and predominantly white plumage with black wingtips and trailing edges, visible in flight
• Massive orange bill and pouch
• Breeding adults show a laterally flattened knob or plate on the bill
• Soars on flat, broad wings, often in coordinated flocks

Similar species

Brown Pelican is much smaller and dark brown-gray overall, easily separated by size and color alone. Snow Goose and other large white waterbirds lack the pelican's massive bill and pouch. In flight, American White Pelicans can resemble large white geese from a distance but soar with far less flapping and show a heavier, more direct silhouette.

Habitat and range

American White Pelicans breed colonially on isolated islands in freshwater and alkaline lakes and marshes across the interior of North America, from the northern Great Plains and prairie provinces of Canada down through parts of the western and central United States and Mexico.

Migration

After breeding, most populations migrate to winter along the Gulf Coast, southern Atlantic coast, Pacific coast of Mexico, and interior wetlands of the southern United States and Central America, often traveling in large, soaring flocks that use thermals to cover long distances efficiently.

Behavior

Unlike Brown Pelicans, American White Pelicans do not plunge-dive; instead they swim in coordinated groups, often forming a line or semicircle to herd fish into shallow water where they scoop them up with their expandable throat pouch. They frequently forage cooperatively and roost and migrate in large flocks.

Voice

Adults are largely silent away from the colony, though low grunting or croaking calls may be given near nests, and colonies can be noisy with chick begging calls.

Nesting and breeding

They nest colonially on the ground on isolated islands free of mammalian predators, laying two eggs in a simple scrape or mound of debris. Both parents incubate and feed the young, though typically only one chick survives to fledging due to sibling competition.