Brown Pelican

Rare Brown Pelicans are conspicuously large seabirds, with gray-brown plumage, yellow heads, and white necks. They’re the smallest of the eight pelican species, reaching up to 5’ in length with a wingspan of 6 ½’ and weighing about 11 pounds. Their remarkable diving abilities and unique features, like stretchy throat pouches and resilient wings, captivate admirers worldwide. President Theodore Roosevelt's conservation efforts in 1903 and later, the banning of DDT nationwide, has led to a gradual increase in their population, extending their range to areas like Virginia and the Western U.S. While their status has improved in some areas, Brown Pelicans remain a  threatened species in certain regions, and from specific factors like habitat loss, predators, pollution and climate change.