American White Pelican (Pelecanus erythrorhynchos)

It’s extremely easy to distinguish the American White Pelican from the more commonly seen Brown Pelicans. Color and size are the biggest differences. The American White Pelican is a huge waterbird that is both very tall, with broad wings and a massive yellow to orange bill. One of largest birds in North America, their wings can reach 9 feet. Snowy white, black flight feathers visible only when the wings are spread. Pouches can hold up to three gallons of water and stretch to six inches. Although they can be found over most of the western half of the country during migration, they are winter visitors to Texas coasts.

Nesting in colonies, the breeding pair scoop out gravel, sand, and soil to create a crevice for the eggs. Choosing islands on fresh water or brackish lakes, two to four eggs are laid and both parents tend the nest. Chicks are born helpless and unable to walk and are born in only a few US locations on lakes in the Great Plains and Canada.  You will rarely see babies as they are full grown by 8-10 weeks, so by the time they reach Texas they are virtually indistinguishable from adults. They don’t fully mature until about three years of age and live up to 14 years or more. Occasionally, you’ll see a vertical plate, or “horn,” on top of the male’s bill. That horn is left over from the breeding season and is thought to distinguish those males as better or stronger mates. Despite the “norm” there is a Texas breeding population (200-500 pairs) in the Laguna Madre most years. This is thought to be the only non-migrating colony of American White Pelicans.

A Pelican “horn”. Photo credit: All About Birds, Cornell.

Large and gregarious American White Pelicans travel in flocks, often forming squadrons. Unlike the Brown Pelican, White Pelicans typically do not dive into the water when feeding but rather swim along the water, dipping their bills and scooping up prey in their expandable pouches. They mostly eat fish that are not desirable to anyone fishing. Until it was understood that they did not compete for commercially popular fish, they were often shot. Thankfully, the population is growing, and squadrons may be seen migrating through Central Texas.

Compiled by Jeanette Larson. Header image courtesy of Jeanette Larson.

Sources: All About Birds, Texas Breeding Bird Atlas (TXA&M), Army Corp of Engineers.