The Brown Pelican is the smallest pelican in North America and the only one that dives from heights of up to 65 feet to catch fish, hitting the water with a spectacular plunge. Air sacs under the skin cushion the impact and help it float back to the surface. It was devastated by DDT, removed from the Endangered Species list in 2009 after a remarkable recovery.
Best time to see a Brown Pelican
The best time to see a Brown Pelican is January–July, when about 61% of U.S. sightings happen, based on 95,490 research-grade iNaturalist observations.
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Recent Brown Pelican sightings near you
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