{
  "@context": "https://schema.org",
  "@type": "Taxon",
  "slug": "pelican",
  "name": "Brown Pelican",
  "scientificName": "Pelecanus occidentalis",
  "category": "Bird",
  "summary": "The brown pelican (Pelecanus occidentalis) is a large coastal seabird of the Americas, found from the United States down through the Caribbean and around the Galápagos. It is famous for plunge-diving from up to 20 m to catch fish such as anchovies and sardines in its stretchy throat pouch. Adults weigh 2 to 5 kg, span roughly 1.4 m, and can live 20 to 25 years. The IUCN lists it as Least Concern.",
  "conservationStatus": "Least Concern",
  "taxonomy": {
    "kingdom": "Animalia",
    "phylum": "Chordata",
    "class": "Aves",
    "order": "Pelecaniformes",
    "family": "Pelecanidae",
    "genus": "Pelecanus"
  },
  "stats": {
    "weightKg": 4,
    "lengthM": 1.4,
    "topSpeedKmh": 48,
    "lifespanYears": 25
  },
  "facts": [
    {
      "label": "Scientific name",
      "value": "Pelecanus occidentalis"
    },
    {
      "label": "Diet",
      "value": "Piscivore — mainly fish such as anchovies and sardines"
    },
    {
      "label": "Habitat",
      "value": "Coastal Americas, Caribbean, and Galápagos"
    },
    {
      "label": "Lifespan",
      "value": "20–25 years in the wild"
    },
    {
      "label": "Weight",
      "value": "2–5 kg (4.4–11 lb); males slightly larger"
    },
    {
      "label": "Top speed",
      "value": "Up to 48 km/h (30 mph) in flight; plunge dives from 20 m"
    },
    {
      "label": "Conservation status",
      "value": "Least Concern (IUCN)"
    }
  ],
  "range": {
    "nativeRange": "Coastal Americas from British Columbia and Chesapeake Bay to Chile and the Galápagos; Caribbean coasts.",
    "continents": [
      "North America",
      "South America"
    ]
  },
  "sources": [
    {
      "citation": "IUCN Red List — Pelecanus occidentalis.",
      "url": "https://www.iucnredlist.org/search?query=Pelecanus%20occidentalis&searchType=species"
    },
    {
      "citation": "Animal Diversity Web — Pelecanus occidentalis. University of Michigan Museum of Zoology.",
      "url": "https://animaldiversity.org/accounts/Pelecanus_occidentalis/"
    }
  ],
  "lastReviewed": "2026-07-16",
  "canonicalUrl": "https://globalanimalguide.org/animals/pelican/",
  "license": {
    "name": "CC BY-NC 4.0",
    "url": "https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc/4.0/",
    "attribution": "Global Animal Guide — https://globalanimalguide.org/animals/pelican/",
    "note": "Free to reuse for non-commercial purposes with attribution and a link back to the canonical page."
  }
}