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Manatee County

Audubon Society

Brown Pelican

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Name

Brown Pelican

Scientific Name

(Pelecanus occidentalis)

Why they are special:
  • Florida’s iconic coastal bird, famous for its dramatic plunge-diving from heights to catch fish.

  • Often seen soaring low over beaches and bays, a symbol of Florida’s coast.
Size and color:
  • Large seabird, 40 inches long with a wingspan of 6–7 feet.

  • Adults: brown body with grayish wings, white head with yellowish crown, and long pouched bill.

  • Juveniles: brownish with paler underparts and shorter bill.
Seasonality in Florida:
  • Year-round resident along coasts and estuaries.
Habitat:
  • Coastal bays, estuaries, inlets, and barrier islands.

  • Often seen resting on pilings, buoys, or flying low over water.
Diet:
  • Feed almost exclusively on fish, captured by spectacular plunge-diving from 10–60 feet above water.

  • Can hold multiple fish in their expandable throat pouch before swallowing.
Behavior:
  • Social birds; often nest in colonies on islands or mangroves.

  • Flight is graceful, with steady wingbeats and occasional glides just above the water.
Conservation notes:
  • Populations recovered dramatically after DDT pesticide bans, now considered stable.

  • Sensitive to oil spills and human disturbance at nesting colonies.
Best time to see:
  • Year-round, especially near coastal bays, harbors, and beaches.
Fun Fact:
  • Brown Pelicans fold their necks and dive at speeds over 50 mph, a spectacular fishing technique unique among pelicans.
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