American White Pelican
Pelecanus erythrorhynchos
Appearance
Range & Habitat
Reciprocal relationships
The pelicans migrate to the southern United States to mate, and they mate for life! They lay two eggs two days apart to ensure an offspring if the first egg doesn’t hatch or is ill. The parents take turns incubating and turning the eggs with their webbed feet for 30 days until they hatch, two days apart. Often, the second hatchling dies due to competition from the first. Their predators include gulls, coyotes, and large carnivores.
This pelican is also threatened by marsh draining for agriculture and people disturbing them with boats, airplanes, and hiking. In B.C., they can be found in White Pelican Park in the summer!