American White Pelican
Pelecanus erythrorhynchos
The American White Pelican breeds on lakes throughout the northern prairies and the Intermountain West, but they spend winters in coastal areas. This bird is the only species of pelican to grow a “horn” on their upper bill. The odd-looking growth is a fibrous plate, which they shed after the breeding season.
While most of their kin breed north of about 40° latitude, there are perhaps four known populations that break with this tradition. One is in Durango (Mexico). A second is Tamaulipas (Mexico). A third is in Colorado. The fourth, perhaps the largest of these, is at Laguna Madre in Texas. These isolated populations are reported at 100-500 pairs.
These are one of the largest birds in North America. When I’ve seen these magnificent birds take off or land in formation on some inland lake, I’m reminded of a squadron of B29 bombers flying in formation. Watching them feed on the water’s surface in choreographed groups is especially entertaining, as they circle around schooling fish in an ever-tightening circle of birds, then simultaneously dipping their great bills into the water to catch their confused prey.
Taxonomists regard the American White Pelican as monotypic (i.e. there are no subspecies).
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American White Pelican(Pelecanus erythrorhynchos) |
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Description: Near Lack & Lindsey Roads. Salton Sea NWR and Vicinity. Imperial County, California. |
Date Taken: 2011:10:14 7:31 |
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Location:
Fondo |
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Camera Information: NIKON D3X, 800 mm, f/6.3, 1/2500 |
File Name: D3X2325-AmericanWhitePelican |
| © 2011 Jack Daynes, shadeTree Imaging |
Double-Crested Cormorant(Phalacrocorax auritus) |
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Description: Near Lack & Lindsey Roads. Salton Sea NWR and Vicinity. Imperial County, California. |
Date Taken: 2011:10:14 7:31 |
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Location:
Southeastern Shore |
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Camera Information: NIKON D3X, 800 mm, f/6.3, 1/1600 |
File Name: D3X2333-AmericanWhitePelicanDoubleCrestedCormorant |
| © 2011 Jack Daynes, shadeTreeImaging.com |
American White Pelican(Pelecanus erythrorhynchos) |
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Description: Formation flight to catch the mornig thermals at Vendel Road, Salton Sea NWR. Imperial County, Southern California. |
Date Taken: 2014:11:30 11:29 |
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Location:
Vendel Road |
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Camera Information: NIKON D3X, 800 mm, f/8.0, 1/2500 |
File Name: D3X2926-AmericanWhitePelican |
| © 2014 Jack Daynes, shadeTree-Imaging.com |
American White Pelican(Pelecanus erythrorhynchos) |
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Description: Winter visitors arriving at Santee Lakes in Santee, California. San Diego County. |
Date Taken: 2014:12:19 11:05 |
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Location:
Santee Lakes |
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Camera Information: NIKON D3X, 800 mm, f/13.0, 1/2000 |
File Name: D3X4155-AmericanWhitePelican |
| © 2014 Jack Daynes, shadeTreeImaging.com |
American White Pelican(Pelecanus erythrorhynchos) |
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Description: A tilapia gave its life so the pelican could live. Near Lack & Lindsey Roads. Salton Sea NWR and Vicinity. Imperial County, California. |
Date Taken: 2011:10:14 7:11 |
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Location:
Lack-And-Lindsey-Roads |
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Camera Information: NIKON D3X, 800 mm, f/6.3, 1/1000 |
File Name: D3X4424-AmericanWhitePelican |
| © 2011 Jack Daynes, shadeTreeImaging.com |
American White Pelican(Pelecanus erythrorhynchos) |
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Description: With Double-Crested Cormorant at Lake Wolford, Valley Center, San Diego County, California. |
Date Taken: 2005:03:30 12:54 |
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Location:
Lake Wohlford |
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Camera Information: NIKON D2X, 400 mm, f/6.3, 1/350 |
File Name: JCD0356Am.WhitePelicanDC-Cormorant |
| © 2005 Jack Daynes, shadeTree-Imaging.com |
American White Pelican(Pelecanus erythrorhynchos) |
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Description: With a Catfish that refused to be swallowed. Vendel Road. Salton Sea NWR and Vicinity. Imperial County, California. |
Date Taken: 2007:12:25 10:04 |
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Location:
Vendel Road |
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Camera Information: NIKON D2X, 400 mm, f/4.0, 1/4000 |
File Name: JCD3088AmericanWhitePelican |
| © 2007 Jack Daynes, shadeTree Imaging |
American White Pelican(Pelecanus erythrorhynchos) |
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Description: Bosque del Apache NWR. Near Socorro, New Mexico. |
Date Taken: 2003:08:25 18:22 |
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Location:
Bosque del Apache NWR |
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Camera Information: NIKON D1X, 800 mm, f/8.0, 1/1000 |
File Name: JCD_0921WhitePelican |
| © 2003 Jack Daynes, shadeTree Imaging |
American White Pelican(Pelecanus erythrorhynchos) |
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Description: Lindo Lake in Lakeside, California. San Diego County. |
Date Taken: 2004:10:14 10:27 |
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Location:
Lindo Lake |
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Camera Information: NIKON D1X, 800 mm, f/11.0, 1/640 |
File Name: JCD_1133Am.WhitePelican |
| © 2004 Jack Daynes, shadeTree Imaging |
American White Pelican(Pelecanus erythrorhynchos) |
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Description: Liondo Lake in Lakeside. San Diego County California USA 2004-10-14. |
Date Taken: 2004:10:14 13:10 |
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Location:
Lindo Lake |
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Camera Information: NIKON D1X, 400 mm, f/9.5, 1/350 |
File Name: JCD_1264Am.WhitePelican |
| © 2004 Jack Daynes, shadeTreeImaging.com |
American White Pelican(Pelecanus erythrorhynchos) |
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Description: Liondo Lake in Lakeside. San Diego County California USA 2004-10-14. |
Date Taken: 2004:10:14 13:12 |
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Location:
Lindo Lake |
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Camera Information: NIKON D1X, 800 mm, f/12.0, 1/500 |
File Name: JCD_1274Am.WhitePelican |
| © 2004 Jack Daynes, shadeTreeImaging.com |
American White Pelican(Pelecanus erythrorhynchos) |
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Description: Bosque del Apache NWR. Near Socorro, New Mexico. |
Date Taken: 2003:09:20 9:44 |
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Location:
Bosque del Apache NWR |
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Camera Information: NIKON D1X, 800 mm, f/5.6, 1/1250 |
File Name: JCD_2033WhitePelican |
| © 2003 Jack Daynes, shadeTree Imaging |
American White Pelican(Pelecanus erythrorhynchos) |
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Description: Bosque del Apache NWR. Near Socorro, New Mexico. |
Date Taken: 2003:09:20 9:45 |
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Location:
Bosque del Apache NWR |
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Camera Information: NIKON D1X, 800 mm, f/5.6, 1/2000 |
File Name: JCD_2039WhitePelican |
| © 2003 Jack Daynes, shadeTreeImaging.com |
American White Pelican(Pelecanus erythrorhynchos) |
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Description: Bosque del Apache NWR. Near Socorro, New Mexico. |
Date Taken: 2003:09:21 9:38 |
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Location:
Bosque del Apache NWR |
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Camera Information: NIKON D1X, 800 mm, f/5.6, 1/4000 |
File Name: JCD_2417WhitePelican |
| © 2003 Jack Daynes, shadeTreeImaging.com |
American White Pelican(Pelecanus erythrorhynchos) |
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Description: Veteran's Park in urban Klamath Falls Oregon. Here, the Klamath River joins Upper Klamath Lake and Lake Ewauna and is called the "Link River". |
Date Taken: 2016:05:04 18:57 |
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Location:
Veteran's Park |
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Camera Information: NIKON D7200, 800 mm, f/8.0, 1/1000 |
File Name: D720006-AmericanWhitePelican |
| © 2016 Jack Daynes, shadeTreeImaging.com |
American White Pelican(Pelecanus erythrorhynchos) |
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Description: Breeding birds with "horns" on their bills at Veteran's Park in urban Klamath Falls Oregon. Here, the Klamath River joins Upper Klamath Lake and Lake Ewauna and is called the "Link River". |
Date Taken: 2016:05:04 18:58 |
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Location:
Veteran's Park |
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Camera Information: NIKON D7200, 400 mm, f/8.0, 1/640 |
File Name: D720025-AmericanWhitePelican |
| © 2016 Jack Daynes, shadeTreeImaging.com |
American White Pelican(Pelecanus erythrorhynchos) |
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Description: Veteran's Park in urban Klamath Falls Oregon. Here, the Klamath River joins Upper Klamath Lake and Lake Ewauna and is called the "Link River". |
Date Taken: 2016:05:04 18:50 |
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Location:
Veteran's Park |
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Camera Information: NIKON D7200, 800 mm, f/8.0, 1/1250 |
File Name: D729953-AmericanWhitePelican |
| © 2016 Jack Daynes, shadeTreeImaging.com |
American White Pelican(Pelecanus erythrorhynchos) |
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Description: South Auto Tour Loop Road at Tule Lake. |
Date Taken: 2016:05:06 15:09 |
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Location:
Lower Klamath NWR |
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Camera Information: NIKON D7200, 800 mm, f/8.0, 1/640 |
File Name: D721357-AmericanWhitePelican |
| © 2016 Jack Daynes, shadeTreeImaging.com |
American White Pelican(Pelecanus erythrorhynchos) |
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Description: I found this bird bathing and grooming in Little Bay after my third day of exploration of Aransas NWR aboard the "Skimmer". There was still time left in the day for explorations. I found a nice place to park next to Little Bay and photograph local resident birds. |
Date Taken: 2020:03:17 16:44 |
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Location:
Little Bay |
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Camera Information: NIKON D500, 490 mm, f/8.0, 1/3200 |
File Name: AmericanWhitePelican_D504489-Rockport-TX |
| © 2020 Jack Daynes, shadeTreeImaging.com |
American White Pelican(Pelecanus erythrorhynchos) |
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Description: Usually I've seen these birds foraging in teams, but this bird was feeding solo. I met it after my third day of exploration of Aransas NWR aboard the "Skimmer". There was still time left in the day for explorations. I found a nice place to park next to Little Bay and photograph local resident birds. |
Date Taken: 2020:03:17 18:15 |
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Location:
Little Bay |
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Camera Information: NIKON D500, 550 mm, f/8.0, 1/1000 |
File Name: AmericanWhitePelican_D505585-Rockport-TX |
| © 2020 Jack Daynes, shadeTreeImaging.com |
American White Pelican(Pelecanus erythrorhynchos) |
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Description: Usually I've seen these birds foraging in teams, but this bird was feeding solo. I met it after my third day of exploration of Aransas NWR aboard the "Skimmer". There was still time left in the day for explorations. I found a nice place to park next to Little Bay and photograph local resident birds. |
Date Taken: 2020:03:17 18:16 |
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Location:
Little Bay |
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Camera Information: NIKON D500, 550 mm, f/8.0, 1/1000 |
File Name: AmericanWhitePelican_D505591-Rockport-TX |
| © 2020 Jack Daynes, shadeTreeImaging.com |
American White Pelican(Pelecanus erythrorhynchos) |
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Description: I met it after my third day of exploration of Aransas NWR aboard the "Skimmer". There was still time left in the day for explorations. I found a nice place to park next to Little Bay and photograph local resident birds. |
Date Taken: 2020:03:17 18:16 |
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Location:
Little Bay |
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Camera Information: NIKON D500, 400 mm, f/8.0, 1/1000 |
File Name: AmericanWhitePelican_D505606-Rockport-TX |
| © 2020 Jack Daynes, shadeTreeImaging.com |
American White Pelican(Pelecanus erythrorhynchos) |
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Description: Bear River Migratory Bird Refuge, 17 miles west of Brigham City Utah. |
Date Taken: 2015:05:12 8:11 |
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Location:
Bear River |
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Camera Information: NIKON D3X, 800 mm, f/8.0, 1/2500 |
File Name: D3X1681-AmericanWhitePelican |
| © 2015 Jack Daynes, shadeTreeImaging.com |
American White Pelican(Pelecanus erythrorhynchos) |
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Description: White Pelicans foraged alongside the Brown Pelicans and the Avocets here on the river mouth. I rode my bike to the southern end of Boca Chica Beach and enjoyed meeting the foraging birds at the mouth of the Rio Grande. This is the east-most border of Texas and Mexico. |
Date Taken: 2021:01:30 8:10 |
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Location:
Boca Chica Beach |
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Camera Information: NIKON D5, 800 mm, f/11.0, 1/1000 |
File Name: AmericanWhitePelican_D5X5895-BocaChicaBeach |
| © 2021 Jack Daynes, shadeTreeImaging.com |
American White Pelican(Pelecanus erythrorhynchos) |
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Description: Sometimes a glance beyond the canopy can be worthwhile. I spent Friday exploring a jewel of birding in south Texas; Estero Llano Grande State Park. I couldn’t visit this place last spring because of the pandemic. It is a wonderful place to meet birds. |
Date Taken: 2021:01:22 11:57 |
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Location:
Estero Llano Grande State Park |
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Camera Information: NIKON D5, 800 mm, f/11.0, 1/4000 |
File Name: AmericanWhitePelican_D5X4097-EsteroLlano |
| © 2021 Jack Daynes, shadeTreeImaging.com |
American White Pelican(Pelecanus erythrorhynchos) |
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Description: The pelicans loafed the whole day on a shallow island in the middle of the pond. It was a lovely day at the Gilbert Water Ranch. The weather was mild, and the winds were calm. Gilbert is in the Greater Phoenix area of Arizona. |
Date Taken: 2020:11:11 14:38 |
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Location:
Gilbert Water Ranch |
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Camera Information: NIKON D5, 800 mm, f/8.0, 1/8000 |
File Name: AmericanWhitePelican_D5X9652-GilbertWaterRanch |
| © 2020 Jack Daynes, shadeTreeImaging.com |
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