American White Pelican

Everyone who has been to a beach has probably seen the brown pelican.  We took the dinghy out to explore the rivers around St. Simons and Brunswick and discovered a flock of American White Pelican.  The American white pelican is one of the longest birds found in North America.   It has a length between 50 and 70 inches with a wingspan from 95 to 120 inches. 

The brown pelican is one of two of the pelican species which feeds by diving into the water.  American White Pelicans catch their food while swimming.  It is common to find a group of a dozen or more white pelicans together to corral fish to each other making it easier to catch the fish.  The birds also practice kleptoparasitism–7 syllables–anyone know what that means?  Without going to google? 

The dinghy ride took us all the way to Brunswick where we could have tied up at the public dinghy dock and walked to West Marine–but we did not. 

Heading under the bridge

Pirate Boat at Marshside Grill in Brunswick

Wooden Boat back at the marina–still working on it!

^{Did you figure out the meaning of kleptoparasitism?  It is the practice of some species of birds to steal food from other birds.  White pelicans are apparently more prone to this crime and will still from any species of bird on the surface of of the water and in some cases will steal from other birds even while in flight.}  

^{Hope this little bit of useless trivia will help you at your next venture to Trivia night at the local pizza place…}

^Joy