Mountainaire Avian Rescue Society

6817 Headquarters Rd, Courtenay, BC V9J 1N2. 250-337-2021

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Brown Pelican

MARS Moment  2012                                                                                      
by Sandy Fairfield, MARS Education Coordinator

Six years ago I had my first "up close and personal" experience with a very unique bird. Gregarious and comical by nature the Brown Pelican is a very endearing bird that is quite at home around people. These pelicans are found along the southern reaches of the eastern and western seaboards of North America. Migration takes them from southern California to Mexico and as far south as Chile; their summer boundary is usually off the coastline of Southern Vancouver Island. One of seven categories of pelicans, Brown Pelicans prefer shallow water along the coastline and rarely venture more than 20 miles off shore. They usually roost on sandbars and spits, but are quite at home on docks, piers or pylons, and more recently a flock has been seen in Victoria's inner harbour. Waddling clumsily from side to side when walking on land, they become extremely graceful in flight, gliding above the water in search of food.

Photo of 'Tuffy' by  Paul Steeves, Wildlife Rescue Association (WRA)

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