Brown Pelican
Photo: Frank Schulenburg · CC BY-SA 4.0

Pelicans

Brown Pelican

Pelecanus occidentalis

LCLeast Concern
Family
Pelicans (Pelecanidae)
Order
Pelecaniformes

Overview

The brown pelican (Pelecanus occidentalis) is a bird of the pelican family, Pelecanidae, one of three species found in the Americas and one of two that feed by diving into water. It is found on the Atlantic Coast from New Jersey to the mouth of the Amazon River, and along the Pacific Coast from British Columbia to Peru, including the Galapagos Islands. The nominate subspecies in its breeding plumage has a white head with a yellowish wash on the crown. The nape and neck are dark maroon–brown.

Summary from Wikipedia, available under CC BY-SA 4.0.

Range and habitat

Sources and further reading

Last updated September 29, 2026.