Brown pelican Pelecanus occidentalis

Identification Tips:

Length: 41 inches Wingspan: 90 inches
Sexes similar
Huge, dark bird
Long bill with a pouch, dark on Atlantic/Gulf coasts; bill paler along Pacific coast, becomes yellow during breeding season
Flies with neck tucked
Plunges from great heights into water to catch fish

Adult alternate:

White foreneck and head with yellow crown
Chestnut neck and nape
Gray-brown body plumage with slightly darker flight feathers

Adult basic:

Yellowish crown
White head and neck
Gray-brown body plumage with slightly darker flight feathers

Immature:

Dark brown overall, gradually acquiring adult plumage over three years

Similar species:

None.

Length and wingspan from: Robbins, C.S., Bruun, B., Zim, H.S., (1966). Birds of North America. New York: Western Publishing Company, Inc.
Source: USGS

Handheld Birds and Software at National Geographic

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