Unlike other pelicans, the brown pelican (Pelecanus occidentalis) hunts by diving into water with wings partly folded in order to catch prey. Its pouch holds two or three times more than the its stomach can hold -- close to three gallons of fish and water! Brown pelican displaying its throat pouch. Photo: Petty Officer 3rd Class Robert Brazzel/U.S. This species can reach a length of 48 inches (121.9 centimeters) with an 84-inch (213.4 centimeters) wingspan. The students must each come up with a.) The brown pelican is the smallest of the six different species of pelicans in the world (Nesbitt 1996). 8. It ranges in length from 42 to 54 inches long. The Brown Pelican is a comically elegant bird with an oversized bill, sinuous neck, and big, dark body. A colonial species, brown pelicans live in large flocks throughout the year. Margaret D. Jul 2018. Usually nesting on the ground, the brown pelican will also sometimes nest in trees or on cliffs. ... just started managing this unit and would love for you to try staying with Vacasa in the future to experience our world class service. I have a wonderful family. Brown Pelican Facts and Information Pelecanus occidentalis Introduction to Brown Pelican. Young pelicans are all brown. 9. The species as a whole isn’t about to go extinct as a result of the oil spill: as 400,000 out of a total global population of 650,000 live in Peru. It weighs from 6 to 12 pounds. While the Brown Pelican is awkward on land, to say the least, it is a beautiful and intelligent flyer. The students will use the educational books on pelicans brought by the teacher to research the cause and effect of pesticides on the pelican population. Brown pelican babies born in tree nests wait a few more weeks to leave the nest than those who are in nests on the ground. It has a grand wingspan though that can range from 6 to just over 8 feet. The brown pelican is a large grayish-brown bird with a distinct pouched bill. The Brown Pelican is the state bird of Louisiana. The brown pelican is the smallest member of seven species of pelicans. 2.) Coast Guard. It has webbed feet, and is an excellent swimmer. During the breeding season, the female brown pelican lays 2 to 3 eggs. The brown pelican has a very long gray bill with a large pouch of skin. How endangered is the brown pelican? 3.) The brown pelican is about four feet in length. The brown pelican is a large bird, which is 40 to 54 inches (3 to 4 feet) in length, with a wingspan of 6 to 7 feet (72 to 84 inches). Brown Pelican East is located on West Beach Avenue in Gulf Shores, AL. and this means the warm and soft sands are right at your fingertips. Brown Pelican Description Squadrons glide above the surf along southern and western coasts, rising and falling in a graceful echo of the waves. It has a brown and gray body and a white head with a light brown crown. They feed by plunge-diving from high up, using the force of impact to stun small fish before scooping them up. There are four subspecies of brown pelicans, two of which reside in the United States, the eastern brown pelican (Pelecanus occidentalis carolinensis) and the California brown pelican (Pelecanus occidentalis californicus). The adult Brown Pelican weighs about 2.75 to 5.5 kg (6.1 - 12.1 lb) and the length of its wingspan ranges from 1.8 to 2.5 m (6-8.2 ft). for the removal of the Brown Pelican from the endangered species list, and someone will be a biologist in charge of increasing the pelican species. There are 8 species of the Pelican, and the Brown Pelican is the smallest of them. Often, a group of pelicans will fly in a V-formation, which is probably where the collective noun "squadron" came from. Although it is the smallest pelican of the world, the Brown Pelican is a considerably large bird with a body length that can vary from 106 to 137 cm (42-54 inches). Rehabilitated Brown Pelicans are released in Port Aransas, Texas in June 2010. Lesson Summary Brown pelicans are large birds that live in North America. It weighs between 5 to 8 pounds (3 to 5 kg), sometimes more. Its neck is dark brown during breeding season. Researchers estimate that the nation lost 10% of its Brown Pelican population after the oil disaster.