If you’ve ever watched brown pelicans, you’ve likely witnessed a beautiful and surprising spectacle: The big birds, which have a wingspan reaching just over six feet, soar up above the water looking for fish. When they spot their quarry, they turn into a shooting arrow with their sharp bill aimed straight for the water. At high speed, they smack into the surface of the sea and scoop up their prey.
To see such a large bird bullet into the water is surprising. But even more so is the fact that they can do so without breaking their necks. How do they manage this feat? The trick is through a specialized bill, bones they inflate with air and that famous pouch of skin.
KQED Science reports:
Pelicans perfected the art of this fishing technique about 30 million years ago, and it hasn’t changed much since. With that much practice and perfection under their wing, it’s no wonder they’re such masters of the strategy. Here’s a short video that explains how the special adaptations protect plunging pelicans:
Brown pelicans made a wonderful comeback from near-extinction, when DDT threatened the future of the species. However, there are new threats affecting the birds today, including warming waters and overfishing reducing fish populations on which the pelicans feed.
Citizen scientists along the West Coast are participating in a semi-annual bird count, helping researchers figure out just how many brown pelicans there are along the shore. If you’re interested in learning how to participate, check out KQED’s article about the Audubon-organized counts and what they mean for brown pelicans from Washington to Tijuana.
