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One moment the sky is quiet… and the next—SPLASH! A huge bird crashes into the Bay like a flying cannonball! It turns out that bird...is a pelican! As you watch as more and more pelicans dive into the bay, you wonder: Why do pelicans dive like that? And what does it mean for the rest of the Bay?
Meet the Brown Pelican :
Meet the Brown Pelican :
The brown pelican species looks different across regions. But primarly, their most defining feature is their long thin necks and really long bills. Their wings are quite big and can reach up to a 6-7 wingspan. These expert fish catchers plunge-dive from as high as 60 feet. Brown pelicans can hold 3 gallons of water in their throat pouch which more than 25 pounds!
Here's some features that can help identify a brown pelican:
They dive bomb (the only other pelican that does this is the Peruvian pelican!)
They fly in a single file line, or in a V shape (this helps conserve energy!)
They have a grey-ish brown body and a pale colored head
They have dark fully webbed feet (this makes them graceful on water but really awkward and clumsy on land!)
Dive Bombing Equals Dinner Time!
Dive Bombing Equals Dinner Time!
If you see lots of dive-bombing pelicans, chances are that the Bay is full of fish! Brown pelicans have a very specific dive behavior. First they spot fish from above. Then, they tuck their wings in and dive headfirst into the water! Lastly, they scoop up anchovies or sardines into their pouch, drain the excess water, and chow down!
If you want to see this action in person, keep in mind that most brown pelicans usually hunt around early morning or late afternoon!
What do Pelicans Tell Us
What do Pelicans Tell Us
Pelicans are a bioindicators (they help us understand ecosystem health). If you see more pelicans than usual, it probably means that there are more baitfish, which means the water is probably healthy. If you see fewer pelicans near the bay or erratic behavior, it might mean trouble. There might be a shortage of fish, pollution, and climate issues. Decades ago, there was a pestiside (a weed or insect killer) called DDT. The DDT crisis nearly wiped the brown pelican community out. But thanks to the 1972 ban of DDT they made an amazing recovery!
On that same note, there are many other things that can be harmful to pelicans:
Plastic pollution (they may eat the plastic or get tangled within it)
Fishing line (can lead to wings and beaks getting injured)
Oil spills (can ruin feathers and lead to poisoning through tainted fish)
Changing ocean temperatures (can affect fish supply and lead to starvation)
So...How We Can Help?
So...How We Can Help?
You can help in very simple ways! You can help brown pelicans by cleaning up trash by the beach, make sure not to feed wildlife (human food can be harmful to animals!), and report injured birds to local wildlife centers. So...when you're looking out into the sky's, remember that every time a pelican dives, it’s more than just a snack—it’s a sign! What is the Bay telling us today?
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