# Brown Pelican

[![brown-pelican-0.jpeg](https://birding.wiki/uploads/images/gallery/2023-03/scaled-1680-/brown-pelican-0.jpeg)](https://birding.wiki/uploads/images/gallery/2023-03/brown-pelican-0.jpeg)

### **Description**

The Brown Pelican is found in mainly coastal areas. During breeding season the skin on its throat turns a vibrant red color.

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### <span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0);">**Personal stats**</span>  


#### <span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0);">**First observation**</span>

<table border="1" class="align-center" id="bkmrk-%F0%9F%93%86-12%2F01%2F2013-%F0%9F%93%8D-los-a" style="border-collapse: collapse; width: 50%; border-width: 1px;"><colgroup><col style="width: 20.493827%;"></col><col style="width: 79.259259%;"></col></colgroup><tbody><tr><td class="align-center" style="border-width: 1px;">📆</td><td class="align-center" style="border-width: 1px;">07/21/2013

</td></tr><tr><td style="border-width: 1px; vertical-align: middle;">📍</td><td class="align-center" style="border-width: 1px;">Play del Rey, California

</td></tr></tbody></table>

#### **Captured media details**

<table border="1" class="align-center" id="bkmrk-male-female-unknown-" style="border-collapse: collapse; width: 80%; height: 87px; border-width: 1px;"><colgroup><col style="width: 17.901235%;"></col><col style="width: 22.067901%;"></col><col style="width: 29.938272%;"></col><col style="width: 29.938272%;"></col></colgroup><thead><tr style="height: 29px;"><td style="border-style: none; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255); height: 29px; border-width: 1px;">  
</td><td style="height: 29px; border-width: 1px;">**Male**  
</td><td style="height: 29px; border-width: 1px;">**Female**  
</td><td style="height: 29px; border-width: 1px;">**Unknown**  
</td></tr></thead><tbody><tr style="height: 29px;"><td style="vertical-align: middle; height: 29px; border-width: 1px;">📸</td><td style="vertical-align: middle; height: 29px; border-width: 1px;">  
</td><td class="align-center" style="vertical-align: middle; height: 29px; border-width: 1px;">  
</td><td class="align-center" style="vertical-align: middle; height: 29px; border-width: 1px;">✔️</td></tr><tr style="height: 29px;"><td class="align-center" style="vertical-align: middle; height: 29px; border-width: 1px;">🎙️</td><td class="align-center" style="vertical-align: middle; height: 29px; border-width: 1px;">  
</td><td class="align-center" style="vertical-align: middle; height: 29px; border-width: 1px;">  
</td><td class="align-center" style="vertical-align: middle; height: 29px; border-width: 1px;"> </td></tr></tbody></table>

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### **Experiences &amp; anecdotes**

**07/3/22 -** My first memorable experience with Brown Pelicans come from the [Christmas Bird Count where we counted Brown Pelicans](https://becausebirds.com/counting-brown-pelicans-california-audubon/). We went to Playa del Rey, CA to count the pelicans which were mostly out sitting on a jetty.

For a few months [I volunteered at International Bird Rescue](https://becausebirds.com/volunteering-international-bird-rescue/) for a few months where I helped care for and occasionally release aquatic birds back into the wild. One part of this role was to go into the large pelican enclosure with a big net and run around scaring and bothering them. This helped prevent the birds from becoming habituated. There were all sorts of techniques used for different birds to ensure they didn’t get too used to humans caring for them.

**01/12/23** - On a recent trip to South Padre Island, Texas, there were many Brown Pelicans all over the island. We visited the [Birding and Nature Center](https://becausebirds.com/a-rare-visitor-at-south-padre-island-birding-and-nature-center/) and enjoyed watching the pelicans glide just above the water’s surface.

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### **Captured media**

#### **Photographs**

<span style="text-decoration: underline;">**[![brown-pelican-1.jpeg](https://birding.wiki/uploads/images/gallery/2023-03/scaled-1680-/brown-pelican-1.jpeg)](https://birding.wiki/uploads/images/gallery/2023-03/brown-pelican-1.jpeg)**</span>

<table border="1" id="bkmrk-an-american-kestrel--1" style="border-collapse: collapse; width: 100%;"><colgroup><col style="width: 99.876543%;"></col></colgroup><tbody><tr><td class="align-center" style="background-color: rgb(236, 240, 241);">*<span style="background-color: rgb(236, 240, 241);">A Brown Pelican dives for a fish in the Corpus Christi marina | 08/06/22</span>*</td></tr></tbody></table>

<span style="text-decoration: underline;">  
</span>

<span style="background-color: rgb(236, 240, 241);">[![brown-pelican-2.jpeg](https://birding.wiki/uploads/images/gallery/2023-03/scaled-1680-/brown-pelican-2.jpeg)](https://birding.wiki/uploads/images/gallery/2023-03/brown-pelican-2.jpeg)</span>

<table border="1" id="bkmrk-a-poofed-up-kestrel-" style="border-collapse: collapse; width: 100%; height: 29px;"><colgroup><col style="width: 99.876543%;"></col></colgroup><tbody><tr style="height: 29px;"><td class="align-center" style="height: 29px; background-color: rgb(236, 240, 241);">*A Brown Pelican floating in the water | 11/10/13*</td></tr></tbody></table>

<span style="background-color: rgb(236, 240, 241);">  
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<span style="background-color: rgb(236, 240, 241);">*[![brown-pelican-3.jpeg](https://birding.wiki/uploads/images/gallery/2023-03/scaled-1680-/brown-pelican-3.jpeg)](https://birding.wiki/uploads/images/gallery/2023-03/brown-pelican-3.jpeg)*</span>

<table border="1" id="bkmrk-the-american-kestrel-1" style="border-collapse: collapse; width: 100%;"><colgroup><col style="width: 99.876543%;"></col></colgroup><tbody><tr><td class="align-center" style="background-color: rgb(236, 240, 241);">*This Brown Pelican flys toward the marina in breeding plumage.*</td></tr></tbody></table>

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#### **Audio recordings**

- Coming soon

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### **From my blogs**

- [Counting Brown Pelicans with California Audubon](https://becausebirds.com/counting-brown-pelicans-california-audubon/)
- [A rare visitor at South Padre Island Birding and Nature Center](https://becausebirds.com/a-rare-visitor-at-south-padre-island-birding-and-nature-center)
- [Birds you’ll see birding in the Corpus Christi marina](https://becausebirds.com/birding-in-the-corpus-christi-marina/)