January 6th is an important day to me for a few reasons. One reason is that it’s my wedding anniversary. Of course birds were part of the wedding design- my dress had birds on it and some of our photography was featured at the tables at our reception. But one year before our wedding on January 6th 2017, I had a significant birding experience with my mom and sister. January 6th will always be “Day of the Pelican”. The American White Pelican was our first bird we found from the NJ Rare Bird List.
I lived in New Jersey at the time and the range of the American White Pelican is the Western/interior of North America and the Pacific and Gulf Coasts. So it was quite a surprise to NJ birders when in late December/early January a juvenile American White Pelican showed up at Stanley H. “Tip” Seaman County Park in Tuckerton, NJ. The pelican was observed skating over the ice and befriending Mute Swans and Canada Geese for about a week or two before leaving the area. I’ve seen American White Pelicans a handful of times since then, but January 6th 2017 will always be a really special day for me.
In honor of my personal “Pelican Day”, here’s a few fun facts about American White Pelicans:
- American White Pelicans usually work together when hunting for food. They gather in large flocks and coordinate their movements to herd fish to shallow areas of the wetland. By cooperating, it makes it easier for them to scoop up large amounts of fish.
- Adult American White Pelicans have white bodies with black wingtips. During breeding season adult have a distinct “bump” or plate on their yellow-orange bills. Immature birds are mainly white, but have some dusky patches on their backs, heads, and necks.
- American White Pelicans have a 9-foot wingspan.
- They usually forage for food at night during breeding season.
- American White Pelicans are colonial nesters who are seasonally monogamous.
American White Pelicans are amazing birds to observe. Have you seen an American White Pelican before? Where did you see it? Tell me about it in the comments!
References:
Audubon.org. (n.d.). American White Pelican. Retrieved from https://www.audubon.org/field-guide/bird/american-white-pelican
Boreal Songbird Initiative. (n.d.). American White Pelican. Retrieved from https://www.borealbirds.org/bird/american-white-pelican
The Cornell Lab. (n.d.). American White Pelican. Retrieved from https://www.allaboutbirds.org/guide/American_White_Pelican/overview
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