American White Pelicans_MG_0013 - a photo on Flickriver

Migratory big white beautiful bird! They remain at White Rock Lake's Sunset Bay (Dallas, TX) until March or April. Click on image for best view.

One of the largest North American birds, the American White Pelican is majestic in the air. The birds soar with incredible steadiness on broad, white-and-black wings. Their large heads and huge, heavy bills give them a prehistoric look. On the water they dip their pouched bills to scoop up fish, or tip-up like an oversized dabbling duck. Sometimes, groups of pelicans work together to herd fish into the shallows for easy feeding. Look for them on inland lakes in summer and near coastlines in winter.

Size & Shape

A huge waterbird with very broad wings, a long neck, and a massive bill that gives the head a unique, long shape. They have thick bodies, short legs, and short, square tails. During the breeding season, adults grow an unusual projection or horn on the upper mandible near the tip of the bill.

Color Pattern

Adult American White Pelicans are snowy white with black flight feathers visible only when the wings are spread. A small patch of ornamental feathers on the chest can become yellow in spring. The bill and legs are yellow-orange. Immatures are mostly white as well, but the head, neck, and back are variably dusky.

Behavior

American White Pelicans feed from the water’s surface, dipping their beaks into the water to catch fish and other aquatic organisms. They often upend, like a very large dabbling duck, in this process. They do not plunge-dive the way Brown Pelicans do. They are superb soarers (they are among the heaviest flying birds in the world) and often travel long distances in large flocks by soaring. When flapping, their wingbeats are slow and methodical.

Habitat

American White Pelicans typically breed on islands in shallow wetlands in the interior of the continent. They spend winters mainly on coastal waters, bays, and estuaries, or a little distance inland.

www.allaboutbirds.org

Taken on: October 24, 2016

Tags:

pelicans

dallas

white rock lake, dallas, texas

wildlife

waterfowl

large birds

north american birds

pelecanus erythrorhychos

migratory bird

soaring birds

white

feathers

white feathers « less

Sets appears in: • White Rock Lake's Sunset Bay, Dallas, TX • American White Pelican

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Camera: Canon EOS 7D, f/6.7, 1/1500 sec, 143mm, ISO 500 (more info) (hide info)

Camera:	Canon EOS 7D
Lens:	TAMRON SP 70-200mm F/2.8 Di VC USD A009
Aperture:	f/6.7
Exposure Time:	0.001 sec (1/1500)
Focal Length:	143mm
ISO:	500
Exposure Bias:	-1 EV
Flash:	Off, Did not fire
Exposure Program:	Aperture-priority AE
Exposure Mode:	Auto
Metering Mode:	Multi-segment
White Balance:	Manual
Color Space:	sRGB
Software:	Adobe Photoshop Lightroom 6.7 (Windows)
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