H.J. Ruiz – Avian101

One large bird that is easily spotted in most coastal waters of America is the Brown Pelican. I’m sure that most people that read my blog have seen this bird in person at one time or another. They’re popular among beach goers that love to see these large birds diving for fish, bobbing up and down the small surf or simply standing perched near marinas or fishing piers. Here’s some additional information about the Brown Pelicans:

The Brown Pelican  is a small pelican found in the Americas. It is one of the best known and most prominent birds found in the coastal areas of the southern and western United States. It is one of only 3 pelican species found in the Western Hemisphere. The Brown Pelican is one of the only two pelican species which feeds by diving into the water.

This bird is readily distinguished from the American White Pelican by its non-white plumage, smaller size and its habit of diving for fish from the air, as opposed to co-operative fishing from the surface. The Peruvian Pelican, previously considered a subspecies of Brown Pelican, is now considered to be a separate species. It has very similar plumage to the Brown, but it is noticeably larger. The Brown and Peruvian pelicans may overlap in some areas along the Pacific coast of South America.

Next I’m posting some pictures I shot in West Coast Florida last month. Enjoy!

Text – photographs © HJ Ruiz – Avian101