Pelican Invasion!
The California Brown Pelican
Birds of a feather…
The California Brown Pelican has been giving us quite the show on the Mendocino Coast this year. There has always been an autumnal migration that happens, but this year’s pelican population has decided to spend a good amount of time with us, and we are blessed with the honor of viewing these fascinating prehistoric creatures. I’ve been told there are even a few resident Pelicans on the coast, that don’t migrate with the others. Perhaps they’ve found that their heart is Mendocino, too, just like many of us. To witness them in action is truly a delight, watching them cleaning their feathers ritualistically is mesmerizing. They may stay with us in Mendocino until March, but most fly south in the fall.
Flocking to the mouth of Big River, so much fun to watch them from the beach or bluffs…
There are only ten species of Pelican worldwide. The California Brown Pelican was on the endangered species list as recent as just 12 years ago and has been experiencing a baby boom in the past several years. The California population reaching somewhere around an estimated one to two hundred thousand currently. This is fantastic news, it’s not that often that any animal is removed from the list. They can live well into their forties, and a fossil found in France looks identical to the Pelican we see today. Dated about thirty million years old, this is an amazing time capsule of sorts that links these birds with the past and gives us insight to the fact that not much has changed for them, as they are steadfast on their mission to seek out the anchovy, sardines, mackerel, and herring they feed on. Large schools of these fish call the Pelicans to their feeding grounds, and thanks to a giant boom of anchovy off both Big and Little River, we have been getting to witness this performance for a lot longer than usual. Thanks to a narrow band of cold water close to shore, with a warmer swath farther out, has made ideal conditions for the anchovy to flourish, which is why the Pelicans have been here so long already.
Squadron in flight…
It’s clear to see while observing that they do need a lot of speed to take off and land. Weighing in at up to 8 pounds, and with a belly full of fish, we can only imagine. Wingspan being up to six and a half feet, they are very large birds. They typically breed in the warmth of the southern California coast, or Mexico. However, because of their desire for the tasty, tiny, little fish, they can roost up and mate just about anywhere, but not often. They follow the fish and tend to stick with the large schools. Flying low to watch for the fish coming up for air, skimming the surface, even in the dark. They must eat a lot of them regularly to keep up their energy stores, using tons of energy to take flight and dive as often as they do. Brown Pelicans are the only type that plunge dives, and it is an incredible sight. They can eat up to four pounds of fish every day! The impressive dive can be from as high up as 60 feet, as they eye the silvery scales of the fish, sometimes well below the surface. Air sacs throughout their body help to decrease the impact of the water as they plunge. They dive with such force that when they hit the water it can stun fish six feet below, making them dazed and easier to scoop up with the Pelicans beak. The pouch attached to the lower mandible on the beak can stretch to contain up to three gallons of water and fish. Food availability is literally the most important factor when deciding where to spend their time. They only roost on the water or coastal rocky ledges, where they feel safest, nesting colonies found mostly on small islands without the presence of predators. Pelicans breed every year starting around two to three years old and have two to three eggs. Since food availability is most important, they will leave the roost and abandon the chicks if the supply is low. They do take turns caring for their young, sharing in the responsibilities. Males display a bright red bill and pouch when mating season approaches.
Fluffing up & primping those luscious feathers…
Pairing up & resting together in the shallows of the sand bar…
A group is appropriately called a squadron and they tend to fly in groups, sometimes forming patterns. It’s clear to see while observing that they do need a lot of speed to take off and land. Weighing in at up to 8 pounds, and with a belly full of fish, we can only imagine. Wingspan being up to six and a half feet, they are very large birds. The impressive show they’ve been putting on for us, has been a wonderful and welcome sight to the coast, maybe we’ll get lucky enough to continue having them visit us in the droves that they have, so our guests can have this amazing experience, as well.
~Words by Sarah Rowe & photographs by Meg Solaegui