I checked out a birding spot coming home from Horicon Marsh and found some American White Pelicans on Lake Sinissippi. These appeared to be mostly juveniles but not 100% certain. They were fishing in groups which pelicans typically do and missed fish on most occasions under the water. A few times one in the group would get a nice size fish and the group would go crazy, they fought hard trying to take fish from the one who got it. I noticed on a couple images one pelican actually put the pelican with the fish in a head-lock and next in a neck-hold! It got pretty crazy! A fun couple hours out when I least expected it.
American White Pelican
American White Pelican
Binomial name: Pelecanus erythrorhynchos
Category: Pelicans
Size: 62” long, 108” wing span
Weight: 16.4 lbs
Cool fact: One of the largest birds in North America. Their pouch, bottom of their bill can hold up to 3 gallons of water.
American White Pelicans
For fishing, many pelicans gather in some what a circle, put their bills in the water and try to all go down into the water about the same time, amazing!
Fishing…
This group came up empty, no fish
Time to re-group, they move to another location, usually near by and try again, they must hear fish, sense fish, as they are attracted to a new location. The process was on going the time I was present.
They fish again
Down they go…
A fish is caught on the left and it gets crazy as other pelicans want the fish too!
The excitement continues as they try to take the fish away
The struggle continues, the fish still in the pelicans pouch…
The struggle continues…
and continues…
Will this pelican give up the fish?
Still has the fish in the pouch on the right trying get control of the fish
Looks like a head-lock is being used by another pelican on the left, they are still after the fish!
Now it looks like a neck-hold is being used in the middle!
Not giving it up, fish in the pouch in the middle
The struggle still continues…
The struggle is still on…
Finally the pelican heads out of the group with the fish…
Off it goes with the fish
American White Pelican
Going fishing
Doing some preening
More preening
American White Pelican makes a loop around the area
The flyover
The landing
Fishing
Another fish, on the left side
Another struggle, fish in the middle
The struggle continues, a few other pelicans want the fish too
Going with the fish in pouch
The struggle
Not swallowing this fish, I think just getting a better grip on it, it moved out of the area with it…
Things settle down and this pelican takes the fish elsewhere
Sensing something here, maybe fish?
American White Pelican
American White Pelicans
Moving to the right…probably a juvenile
American White Pelican, probably a juvenile
American White Pelican
