Majestic White Fishing Bird

There are many more American White pelicans this year than we have sighted in past years. We would have said they were rare in the summer, but not this year. These large birds are a pleasure to watch with their coordinated efforts and graceful dipping moves (they do not dive like brown pelicans). They have been getting all sorts of bait fish, top smelt and the like. The plate on its bill is the sign of a breeding bird, The plate is fiberous and is generally shed after eggs are laid.

Pelicans of Summer

One of the summer highlights is the large numbers of California Brown Pelicans at Elkhorn Slough. The slough is a major roosting and resting location for these birds which were nearly wiped out by the use of DDT pesticides in the past. We also see lots of the much larger White Pelicans who tend to organized together for fishing.