The brown pelican (Pelecanus occidentalis) is a coastal marvel: a large seabird with a dramatic wingspan, surprising fishing technique, and unmistakable silhouette as it glides low over the water. From spotting fish from above to diving head-first into waves, the brown pelican is built for one of nature’s most spectacular hunting displays. At the Abilene Zoo, we’re proud to care for this bird and invite you to discover more about its lifestyle, adaptations, and the role we play in its story.
Diet
This bird’s diet is almost entirely made up of small schooling fish; think anchovies, sardines, menhaden, herring, and it often hunts by flying above the water and plunging downward to scoop up prey in its expandable throat pouch. Once the pelican surfaces, it drains out the water and swallows the fish whole.
Habitat
In nature, brown pelicans favour coastal bays, estuaries, sandbars, and near-shore marine waters, all places where fish are abundant and take-offs and landings are manageable. Their range spans the United States’ Atlantic and Gulf coasts, parts of the Pacific coast, and extends into the Caribbean and Central and South America.
Size & Weight
The brown pelican isn’t small. Adults typically range from about 39 to 54 inches (100–137 cm) in length. Its wingspan is particularly striking: around 6½ feet (about 200 cm) on average, sometimes nearly 7 feet (approximately 213 cm). Adult weight depends on region and sex, but many fall into the range of 6 to 11 pounds (2.7 to 5 kg).
Behaviour & Flight
In the wild, the brown pelican glides along bays or coastlines, eyes locked on fish beneath the surface. When the time comes, it launches into the air, folds its neck back, dives, then surfaces with fish in its pouch.
Nesting & Reproduction
In nature, brown pelicans form colonies on islands, mangroves or isolated shore zones, building large nests (sometimes 30 inches in diameter) made of sticks, seaweed and grasses. Typically, 2 to 4 eggs are laid, and both parents share incubation and chick-rearing duties. Juveniles are fully flight-capable around 10 to 12 weeks but may remain dependent longer.
Conservation Status
The brown pelican once faced steep population declines, largely because of pesticide use (especially DDT) and coastal habitat destruction. Those threats led to populations being listed as endangered. Through decades of conservation work, regulatory changes and habitat protection, the species rebounded and was taken off the U.S. Endangered Species List in 2009.
See the Brown Pelican at Abilene Zoo
When you come to the Abilene Zoo, be sure to stop by the brown pelican exhibit. It’s more than just a chance to see a big bird on the water, it’s an opportunity to understand how form, behaviour and habitat are connected.Â
Our team will be glad to explain how the bill and throat pouch function like an underwater net, how shorelines affect fish populations (and thus pelicans), and how every person can play a role in protecting waterways, fish stocks and seabird habitat.
Fun Facts
A brown pelican’s throat pouch can hold three times more than its stomach, enabling it to scoop up fish and water before draining the water and swallowing the catch.
Juvenile brown pelicans look quite different from adults: they’re mostly brown and lack the bright white head and yellow crown that adult birds have.
Unlike many birds that wade or swim for prey, the brown pelican specializes in diving, turning its body into a streamlined plunge machine built for fish capture.