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](https://www.windowtowildlife.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/08/rIMG_1412_cr.jpg)
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](https://www.windowtowildlife.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/08/rIMG_1575_cr.jpg)
American White Pelicans
![When the start to fish, they 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](https://www.windowtowildlife.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/08/rIMG_2709_cr.jpg)
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!
![They all go down into the water about the same time.](https://www.windowtowildlife.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/08/rIMG_2712_cr.jpg)
Fishing…
![This group all came up empty, no fish](https://www.windowtowildlife.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/08/rIMG_2719_cr.jpg)
This group came up empty, no fish
![Time to re-group, move to another location and try again](https://www.windowtowildlife.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/08/rIMG_2726_cr.jpg)
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.
![Fish again](https://www.windowtowildlife.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/08/rIMG_2209_cr.jpg)
They fish again
![Going down once again, they do this for hours, typically how the pelican fishes for food](https://www.windowtowildlife.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/08/rIMG_2219_cr.jpg)
Down they go…
![Going for the food can get rough](https://www.windowtowildlife.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/08/rIMG_2953_cr.jpg)
A fish is caught on the left and it gets crazy as other pelicans want the fish too!
![Typical](https://www.windowtowildlife.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/08/rIMG_2967_cr.jpg)
The excitement continues as they try to take the fish away
![The battle](https://www.windowtowildlife.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/08/rIMG_2982_cr.jpg)
The struggle continues, the fish still in the pelicans pouch…
![The battle](https://www.windowtowildlife.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/08/rIMG_2996_cr.jpg)
The struggle continues…
![The battle](https://www.windowtowildlife.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/08/rIMG_2997_cr.jpg)
and continues…
![Will it give up the fish?](https://www.windowtowildlife.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/08/rIMG_3008_cr.jpg)
Will this pelican give up the fish?
![Still has it in the bag](https://www.windowtowildlife.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/08/rIMG_3014_cr.jpg)
Still has the fish in the pouch on the right trying get control of the fish
![Wow](https://www.windowtowildlife.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/08/rIMG_3035_cr.jpg)
Looks like a head-lock is being used by another pelican on the left, they are still after the fish!
![Wow,](https://www.windowtowildlife.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/08/rIMG_3069_cr.jpg)
Now it looks like a neck-hold is being used in the middle!
![I'm not giving it up!](https://www.windowtowildlife.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/08/rIMG_3107_cr.jpg)
Not giving it up, fish in the pouch in the middle
![The struggle is still on](https://www.windowtowildlife.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/08/rIMG_3162_cr.jpg)
The struggle still continues…
![The struggle is still on...](https://www.windowtowildlife.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/08/rIMG_3163_cr.jpg)
The struggle is still on…
![It heads out of the group](https://www.windowtowildlife.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/08/rIMG_3196_cr.jpg)
Finally the pelican heads out of the group with the fish…
![Away it goes, it has gotten away with the fish](https://www.windowtowildlife.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/08/rIMG_3220_cr.jpg)
Off it goes with the fish
![American White Pelican](https://www.windowtowildlife.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/08/rIMG_2349_cr-707x1024.jpg)
American White Pelican
![Going fishing](https://www.windowtowildlife.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/08/rIMG_4019_cr.jpg)
Going fishing
![Doing some preening](https://www.windowtowildlife.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/08/rIMG_4399_cr.jpg)
Doing some preening
![More preening](https://www.windowtowildlife.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/08/rIMG_4066_cr.jpg)
More preening
![American White Pelican making a pass over the area](https://www.windowtowildlife.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/08/rIMG_4329_cr.jpg)
American White Pelican makes a loop around the area
![And just continuing on its way](https://www.windowtowildlife.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/08/rIMG_4344_cr.jpg)
The flyover
![The landing](https://www.windowtowildlife.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/08/rIMG_3809_cr.jpg)
The landing
![Fishing](https://www.windowtowildlife.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/08/rIMG_4171_cr.jpg)
Fishing
![One gets a fish](https://www.windowtowildlife.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/08/rIMG_3482_cr.jpg)
Another fish, on the left side
![Another struggle](https://www.windowtowildlife.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/08/rIMG_3510_cr.jpg)
Another struggle, fish in the middle
![It continues](https://www.windowtowildlife.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/08/rIMG_3515_cr.jpg)
The struggle continues, a few other pelicans want the fish too
![Going with the fish in pouch](https://www.windowtowildlife.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/08/rIMG_3764_cr.jpg)
Going with the fish in pouch
![The struggle](https://www.windowtowildlife.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/08/rIMG_3765_cr.jpg)
The struggle
![No swallowing this fish, I think just getting a better grip on it](https://www.windowtowildlife.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/08/rIMG_3769_cr.jpg)
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](https://www.windowtowildlife.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/08/rIMG_3611_cr.jpg)
Things settle down and this pelican takes the fish elsewhere
![Sensing something here, maybe fish?](https://www.windowtowildlife.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/08/rIMG_3837_cr.jpg)
Sensing something here, maybe fish?
![American White Pelican](https://www.windowtowildlife.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/08/rIMG_1094_cr.jpg)
American White Pelican
![American White Pelicans](https://www.windowtowildlife.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/08/rIMG_1218_cr.jpg)
American White Pelicans
![Moving to the right...](https://www.windowtowildlife.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/08/rIMG_1546_cr.jpg)
Moving to the right…probably a juvenile
![American White Pelican](https://www.windowtowildlife.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/08/rIMG_1742_cr.jpg)
American White Pelican, probably a juvenile
![American White Pelican](https://www.windowtowildlife.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/08/rIMG_1354_cr.jpg)
American White Pelican