Brown Pelican (Pelicanus occidentalis)

Two species of pelicans occur in NC: Brown Pelican and American White Pelican. Brown Pelicans are common along the immediate coast and breed in a few locations, especially near Wilmington. American White Pelicans are fairly rare migrants or wanderers in NC and are not reported every year.

	Brown Pelican (Pelicanus occidentalis) Collier Co., FL 1 Jan 2009
	Brown Pelican (Pelicanus occidentalis) Collier Co., FL 1 Jan 2009
	Brown Pelican (Pelicanus occidentalis) Collier Co., FL 1 Jan 2009 Pelicans feed by plunge-diving after fish.

Brown Pelican (Pelicanus occidentalis)
Collier Co., FL
2 Jan 2004

Note the immature (foreground) has a brown head, while the adult (background) has a creamy to white head.

Tigertail Beach County Park on Marco Island in Collier Co., FL
2 Jan 2004

Hand-held Digiscoped

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Created on ... January 25, 2004 | Updated on ... March 12, 2006 | jspippen@duke.edu