I am going back to January 2014 for this post and probably the first time I ever saw white pelicans.
These were taken at the Homosassa Springs Wildlife State Park in Florida, link here.
A lot of the birds are wild and tend to fly into the park in droves when it is feeding time for the resident birds. I don’t see any bands on their legs, so are assuming they are wild.
I read that those bumps on their beaks appear on both male and female pelicans during breeding season, but once breeding season is over they fall off. These make them more attractive to prospective mates and it is called a nuptial tubercle. The photo below has two white ibis sharing the log with them.
Here are a few more facts.
White pelicans have one of the largest wingspans of any North American bird at 9 feet.
White pelicans sometimes work together to herd fish to more shallow water where they can feast on them more easily.
From the time an egg hatches until the bird leaves its nest and becomes independent, the parents provide 150 pounds of food.
White pelicans are pretty accomplished thieves, stealing from other pelicans and cormorants so they don’t have to do the work themselves.
They breed on islands in shallow wetlands with many other birds, including other white pelicans and also cormorants.
Unlike brown pelicans that fly high above the water and then dive down into the water to catch their prey, white pelicans get their body weight by feeding from the water surface, dipping their beaks into the water to snag fish and other aquatic animals.
White pelicans are one of the heaviest flying bird in the world. An average white pelican weighs between 7 to 20 pounds.
Females lay 1 to 3 eggs in a slight depression in the ground. Both the male and female will incubate the eggs - not the other way other birds do, but with their giant orange feet. Eggs hatch in about a month and usually, only one will survive to leave the nest. Chicks leave the nest - fledge - when they are about 10 weeks old.
Except for the fact that males are slightly larger than females, the two appear identical.
Thanks for looking and I hope you all have a happy Thursday.
Denise, wonderful, now I can hardly choose between the beauty of the pelican and the swan... both so beautiful, upright, and majestic.
ReplyDeleteThank you for the morning beauty, the tenderness!
Hugs, Andreja!
Thank you Andreja, so kind of you and it was my pleasure. I am very happy you enjoyed :) I love the swan too, and I also love the black swans. Both were seen at this place. I hope I see them again one day. Hugs, Denise
DeleteThose are wonderful pelicans, and the photos are fantastic! I didn't know about the hump, either. Thanks for that information—it was very interesting!
ReplyDeleteHave a good day! Hugs, Elke
Hello dear Elke and it was my pleasure :) thank you so much for your kind words. They are very interesting birds aren't they? I enjoyed learning about them too. You have a good day also, hugs, Denise
Delete150 pounds of food, wow! I never saw any with the beak bumps, you caught them just at the right time!
ReplyDeleteI know, isn't that amazing? I certainly did catch them at the right time. Taking photos is like that, sometimes a matter of good look and being in the right place at the right time :)
DeleteThey do look wonderful in the photos. The information is informative.
ReplyDeleteThank you Margaret, very kind of you :)
DeleteHello Denise,
ReplyDeleteI love the white pelicans, they are cool looking birds.
Great post and information.
Take care, have a wonderful day!
I agree, at that point in time I had never had the chance to see white pelicans before :) Thank you Eileen, you take care and have a wonderful day also.
DeleteWhat beautiful birds, we saw brown pelicans in Antigua this year but I've never seen white ones before.
ReplyDeleteHow lovely Jo, I have heard what a great place Antigua is but never had the opportunity to see it before. It was my first time to see white ones. They seemed to be very popular in Florida. It is a great state to view bird life :)
DeleteThey are awesome birds.
ReplyDeleteThank you Anne, I agree with you 100 percent. I was really taken with them at the time.
DeleteInteresting facts about the pelicans. I laughed when I read about how they will steal food from other pelicans or cormorants so they don't have to do the work themselves.
ReplyDeleteThat gave me a laugh too Ann. They can be very comical birds :)
DeleteThose white pelicans are gorgeous!
ReplyDeleteI agree one hundred percent Angie :)
DeleteSo beautiful.
ReplyDeleteHappy you think so Regine, thank you :)
DeleteThe bump in my beak fell off some time ago.
ReplyDeleteAnd you just made me laugh out loud, thank you John. Love your humor! :)
DeleteI have been to Homosassa Springs many years ago. I enjoyed visiting it!
ReplyDeleteOh, BTW, your blog showed up on the feed! Yippee!
That's great that you have been there Val. Thank you for sharing that my blog showed up finally, yippee is right, lol!
DeleteI didn't know about the beak bumps. The white pelicans are quite handsome. If they always end up with only one baby those must be pretty competitive young birds! ;) Have a great day!
ReplyDeleteThat's a great observation Rita. Thank you and you have a great day too :)
DeleteSuch fascinating prehistoric looking birds. I'm trying to rack my brain as to whether I've seen white pelicans before. I know I've seen the non-white variety. Have a great day, Denise.
ReplyDeleteThank you Ellen, I hadn't seen any until we had this vacation in Florida :) You have a great day too.
Deletebeautiful post, thanks
ReplyDeleteThank you, I appreciate your comment :)
DeleteGorgeous photos
ReplyDeleteThank you Christine, I appreciate that very much :)
DeleteThank you Denise I don't think I've ever seen a white pelican...quite attractive with the orange beak and feet
ReplyDeleteHugs cecilia
They are I agree Cecilia. I did enjoy seeing them :) Hugs, Denise
DeleteI found this quite interesting. I knew none of it, including that there are brown pelicans.
ReplyDeleteI'm happy you found it so Sandra, thank you :)
DeleteWhat great photos.
ReplyDeleteAs for the bumps on their beaks, I guess beauty is in the eye of the beholder, haha. I'm not a pelican, but they wouldn't attract me.
Thanks Sandra, much appreciate that. Yes, always and thanks for the smile :)
DeleteThey really are beautiful birds.
ReplyDeleteThey truly are, thanks Mary :)
DeleteOh my goodness your photos are beautiful and I love them. Wish we had some around here.
ReplyDeleteSo glad you do Sandie, and thank you very much. I wish we had them around here too. I used to see the brown ones when we lived 300 miles south of us at the ocean. Always a fun sight to see them skimming low over the water :)
DeleteWonderful photographs.
ReplyDeleteHappy Thursday . . . goodness, this week is flying by!
All the best Jan
Thank you Jan, I hope you had a happy Thursday and yes the week is flying by, as it always seems to I might add :) All the best, Denise
DeleteLindos pelicanos. Te mando un beso.
ReplyDeleteA mí también me parecen lindos. Gracias y que tengas un feliz fin de semana. Te mando un beso :)
Deletei don't think i have ever seen a pelican in real life.. i am surprised they are so white as so clean, but i think you indicated that was unusual. awesome fun facts!!
ReplyDeleteHi Debbie, I'm not sure how they keep so clean truth be told, maybe it's all that dipping into the ocean, along with their pigment, no expert here :) Glad you enjoyed reading about them. Thanks so much!
DeleteSuch a fascinating post, Denise! The pelicans look so regal, and I loved learning about those nuptial bumps.
ReplyDeleteThank you Veronica, so happy you enjoyed my post and all the interesting info about them :)
Delete