The Pelican, A 40 Million Year Old Fisherman
Ranked #9,476 in Pets & Animals, #242,827 overall
Why Is This Prehistoric-Looking Bird So Fascinating?
Recently, I was living on an island a short walk from a seabird rescue station and marina. The docks there are hangouts for all kinds of seabirds, including dozens of pelicans. As an avid amateur photographer, I was delighted to hang out there and "shoot" the birds. Many of the birds, like the egrets and herons, are prettier and more graceful than the pelicans. But, whether they are diving for fish, soaring over the bay, or waddling across the dock, the pelicans never fail to intrigue and amaze me. And, they make me laugh. I have even photographed a couple of pelicans doing something that looks an awful lot like dancing. They actually seem to be smiling.

This lens is my ode to my favorite bird. I hope you enjoy it.
Contents
What Can You Learn About Pelicans Here?
- Brown Pelican Coming In For A Landing At Sebastian Inlet On Florida's East Coast. Copyright: Linda T. Kruger
- Pelican Poetry
- What Is A Pelican?
- How Brown Pelicans Feed.
- How White Pelicans Feed.
- Pelican Poll
- Birdwatching News From The New York Times
- Random Pelican Facts
- Beautiful Things for Pelican Lovers
- Pelicans and Other Waterbirds in the Blogosphere.
- A Highly Recommended Book
- My Pelican Photos
- Wikipedia On Pelicans
- Flying Pelicans
- A Bird Photographer's Blog
- Pelican Pottery and Glass
- Do You Have Any Pelican Stories?

Brown Pelican Coming In For A Landing At Sebastian Inlet On Florida's East Coast. Copyright: Linda T. Kruger
Pelican Poetry
"Oh, a wondrous bird is the pelican!
His bill holds more than his belican.
He can take in his beak
Enough food for a week.
But I'm darned if I know how the helican."
Dixon Lanier Merritt
(1879-1972)
What Is A Pelican?
Although there are 8 different species of pelicans, they all have the famous long beak with a pouch that is used for catching fish. The 8 species are: Brown Pelicans and American White Pelicans which are found along the seashores and lakes of North America, Australian Pelicans, Eastern White Pelicans which inhabit Eurasia, Dalmatian Pelicans found in Southern Eurasia, Spot-Billed Pelicans of southeast Asia, Peruvian Pelicans and Pink-Backed Pelicans which reside in Africa, southern Arabia and Madagascar.
Pelicans are very social birds and move in flocks. It's fun to watch them interact with each other when they are on land. When you see a flock of pelicans flying overhead, they are commonly strung out in a line. They also breed in colonies, usually on an island. The pelican's average lifespan is 10 to 25 years.
The Brown Pelicans of North America became endangered in the 1950's because of the widespread use of the pesticide, DDT, which damaged their eggs. After it was banned, the numbers increased again and have recovered in most states. The Dalmation and Spot-Billed Pelicans are endangered because of loss of habitat in their areas.
How Brown Pelicans Feed.
The Kamikaze Bird
How White Pelicans Feed.
Would You Like Some Dip With That?
Pelican Poll
This Is Where You Can Declare Your Standing On The Pelican Issue.
Errrr, what pelican issue???
Inquiring minds need to know.....
Birdwatching News From The New York Times
What's Up In The World of Birds?
Random Pelican Facts
Did You Know.....?
There are eight species of pelicans.Pelicans are found on every continent except Antartica.
The brown pelican is the Louisiana State Bird.
The Australian pelican is thought to have the longest beak of any bird in the world.
White pelicans can fill their throat pouches with as much as 3 gallons of water.
Young pelicans get their food by sticking their bills into the adult's throat.
Beautiful Things for Pelican Lovers
Pelicans and Other Waterbirds in the Blogosphere.
- Coastal creatures: Live entertainment on the Texas coast
- Tourist beaches are great for seeing brown pelicans. Try Crystal Beach (Bolivar Peninsula) and far ends of South Padre Island, such as Laguna Madre, above. Moon jellies look much prettier in aquariums than on the sand. Watch out: A dead jellyfish still ...
- Richard Kingsford
- A profile of Australia's leading expert on waterbirds and the invaluable research he has undertaken over the past 25 years. We have these incredible concentrations of pelicans on the large lakes. Huge numbers, twenty-thousand plus.
A Highly Recommended Book
Florida's Fabulous Waterbirds: Their Stories
Amazon Price: $5.25 (as of 06/02/2012)![]()
This beautiful book is full of glossy photographs and concise descriptions of pelicans and the many other waterbirds that can be found in Florida.
My Pelican Photos
Brown Pelican Photos
Wikipedia On Pelicans
- Pelican - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
- Pelican From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia: A pelican is large water bird with a distinctive pouch under the beak, belonging to the bird family Pelecanidae.
Flying Pelicans
A Bird Photographer's Blog
Pelican Pottery and Glass
Do You Have Any Pelican Stories?
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MelissaNRodgz
Sep 14, 2011 @ 2:43 am | delete
- Interesting lens. I love pelicans, They are quiet fascinating birds especially the first time you see them.
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nancycarol
Sep 13, 2011 @ 11:42 pm | delete
- I've only seen those on the West Coast, but I find them quite fascinating. They remind me of old men who sit around on benches in the sun, chatting with each other. But then, I often attribute human qualities to birds and animals, haha! Great lens, congratulations on the well-deserved purple star.
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ArtByLinda Sep 13, 2011 @ 1:24 am | delete
- I love pelicans, probably because they are just so different looking. At the ocean I see them often diving for fish, it is fun to watch. We have some in Idaho that hang out on the Snake river and I just love to photograph them. Great lens, congrats on your purple star! Blessed!
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scarlettohairy Sep 12, 2011 @ 5:10 pm | delete
- Great information! I love the pink pelican planter.
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jseven
Sep 12, 2011 @ 2:52 pm | delete
- I have not seen too many in my lifetime, being from Michigan, but loved it when I saw some in Florida. Great lens!
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by K_Linda
Hello everyone,
As a true Gemini with many interests and a short attention span, I was delighted to find Squidoo.
I am a retired massage therapi...
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