Brown Pelicans swoop and dive dramatically to catch their prey in the ocean. In contrast, groups of American White Pelicans lazily float on lakes and estuaries, scooping up fish as if they were sitting in food dishes just below the surface.
Why don't fish just swim away from those slow, foot-long beaks?
What appears to be a social family dinner is really an underwater cattle drive. The pelicans corral and drive fish toward shallower water and each other so they can easily scoop up four pounds of fish a day.
Weighing up to 30 pounds the White Pelican holds the title of second largest bird in North America. Fat? Lazy? White Pelicans answer with a dramatic surprise that outdoes even their brown cousins; they stretch out black-tipped wings into a stunning 9-foot wingspan, gracefully flying as far as Canada to Mexico during migration.
Why don't fish just swim away from those slow, foot-long beaks?
What appears to be a social family dinner is really an underwater cattle drive. The pelicans corral and drive fish toward shallower water and each other so they can easily scoop up four pounds of fish a day.
Weighing up to 30 pounds the White Pelican holds the title of second largest bird in North America. Fat? Lazy? White Pelicans answer with a dramatic surprise that outdoes even their brown cousins; they stretch out black-tipped wings into a stunning 9-foot wingspan, gracefully flying as far as Canada to Mexico during migration.