Life List 072
Visually documented
American White Pelican
Pelecanus erythrorhynchos
- First photographed
- June 23, 2026
- First location
- Utah, United States
- Conservation status
- Least Concern
An evolving study
American White Pelican portfolio
This collection grows as I return to photograph new behavior, habitat, seasons, and stages of life.
Natural history
Species at a glance
Pelecanus erythrorhynchos
Overview
The American White Pelican is one of North America's largest birds and an expert cooperative fisher. Unlike plunge-diving Brown Pelicans, groups often corral fish while swimming on inland or coastal waters.
Identification
Enormous white body, long orange bill and pouch, orange legs, and black flight feathers visible when the wings are spread. Breeding adults develop a flattened hornlike plate on the upper bill.
Range
Breeds mainly on isolated islands in lakes of western and central North America. It winters along the Pacific and Gulf coasts, in the southern United States, Mexico, and Central America.
Habitat
Large shallow lakes, reservoirs, rivers, marshes, estuaries, lagoons, and protected coastal waters.
Diet
Mostly fish, along with crayfish and salamanders captured by dipping the bill and pouch into shallow water.
Photography by Brittany Templin