BROWN PELICAN
Pelecanus occidentalis

 

A very large, dark-bodied bird, unmistakable with its long bill and gular pouch. Watch for them sitting on pilings and zooming along the beach in front of your resort. You'll probably see them feeding, too, plunging into the sea from the air, then rising with their pouch full of sea water and, if successful, fish. Non-breeding plumage shows a white neck, and immatures are all dark with a white belly.

Watch this short video clip we filmed in November 2011 near Bubali of Brown Pelicans plunge-diving after a rain storm with a rainbow in the background.