American White Pelican

American White Pelican, adult, nonbreeding plumage

About the photographs

About the map

Play sound from this species

American White Pelican, juvenile

American White Pelican, beginning pre-alternate molt.

American White Pelican, in flight

Menu

1. Description
2. Sound
3. Conservation Status
4. Other Names
5. Cool Facts
6. Full detailed species account

Breeding on lakes throughout the northern Great Plains and mountain West, the American White Pelican is one of the largest birds in North America. It winters along the coasts, but breeds only inland.

Description

• Large, white waterbird.
• Long bill with extensible pouch.
• Legs short.
• Body large and heavy.
• Feet webbed.
• Wings long and broad, with black trailing edge.
• Tail short.

• Size: 127-165 cm (50-65 in)
• Wingspan: 244-290 cm (96-114 in)
• Weight: 4500-9000 g (158.85-317.7 ounces)

Sex Differences

Sexes look alike.

Sound

Generally silent away from nesting colony. Nestling give whining grunts for food; adults have low, hoarse display calls.

Conservation Status

A long-term decline stopped in the 1960s, and populations have increased since then.

Other Names

Pelican (blanc) d¿Amerique (French)
Pelicano Norteamericano (Spanish)

Cool Facts

• The White Pelican does not dive for fish as the Brown Pelican does. Instead, it dips its head underwater to scoop up fish. Several pelicans may fish cooperatively, moving into a circle to concentrate fish, and then dipping their heads under simultaneously to catch fish.

Sources used to construct this page:

Evans, R. M. and F. L. Knopf. 1993. American White Pelican (Pelecanus erythrorhynchos). In The Birds of North America, No. 57 (A. Poole and F. Gill, Eds.). Philadelphia: The Academy of Natural Sciences; Washington, D.C.: The American Ornithologists¿ Union.