Quick answer
Key facts about brown pelican — size, diet, habitat, and conservation in one place.
Plunge diving
Air sacs beneath skin cushion impact as pelicans hit water bill-first from up to 20 metres. The pouch holds water and fish temporarily before draining and swallowing.
DDT recovery
DDT caused eggshell thinning and population crashes by the 1970s. Banning DDT allowed brown pelicans to recover across the Gulf and Pacific coasts — removed from US Endangered Species list in 2009.
Colonial nesting
Pelicans nest in mangroves and islands in large colonies, regurgitating fish for chicks. Disturbance during nesting causes abandonment — boating distances matter.
Fishing technique
Unlike white pelicans that cooperative-herd fish, browns dive solo or in small groups — iconic along surf zones from California to Venezuela.