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Click on the photos for a larger view.
Description: A very large, stocky
bird, with a dark brown body and a wing span of approximately
7'6." Adults have a white or yellowish head with
a dark brown or crimson red streak along the hind neck
during breeding season. Young birds usually have dark
brown necks and whitish bellies.
Habitat: Sandy coastal beaches,
lagoons, waterfronts and pilings. The Brown Pelican
feeds on fish obtained by diving from the air with their wings
half folded.
Nesting: The Sundown Island Brown
Pelicans have adopted the nesting stands which affords them
protection from fire ants and rattle snakes. The nest
consists of sticks, straw or other debris placed in a low
bush or on the ground or on the nesting stand. A clutch
of eggs usually includes 2 or 3 medium size chalky white eggs.
Range: The Brown Pelicans' range
extends from the Atlantic Coast, Venezuela, and on the U.S.
Pacific Coast and as far north as southern British Columbia.
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