Brown Pelican Mating Plumage
South Carolina, USA
Brown pelicans are beautiful birds that are entertaining to observe. We have all seen their antics as they hover over a fish from above, then flop from the sky into the water catching fish in their pouches. With head tilted back they gulp down their meal.
As they mature, their body feathers become an iridescent gray, they develop a white throat and neck, and a yellow head. The eyes become a piercing, pale blue. Like many birds, the brown pelican’s plumage changes during the breeding season. The hindneck becomes dark chestnut, and yellow patches appear at the base of the fore-neck. The lores become reddish and the bill has some red along the length.
Brown pelicans nearly disappeared from North America between the late 1950s and early 1970s because of pesticides entering the food chain. The pesticide Endrin killed pelicans outright, while DDT contamination led to thin-shelled eggs that broke under the weight of the parents. The species has since recovered significantly and their numbers continue to grow. Breeding colonies are protected as disturbance from human activity can cause panic, with pelicans often abandon or accidentally destroy their nests.
Photo © copyright by Dr. Edward Mikol.
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