Good Fortune
When floating in the Indian River Lagoon with CRUSIE COCOA or walking along the beaches of Florida, Brown Pelicans can be seen soaring the skies and performing breathtaking dives in the air into the blue waters. They have been seen throughout history as a sign of good fortune.
Wearing Lipstick?
Adults are recognized by having a white head and a yellow crest over their eyes. It is almost impossible to tell a male and a female apart until mating season when the males beak turns a bright red color that almost looks like he is wearing lipstick. The males and females will pair off monogamously for a season but not for life.
Just how large are they?
Brown pelicans can have up to a 7ft wingspan but despite their long reach they only weigh between 4 and 11 lbs. This makes them one of the smaller pelican species, yet still one of the larger sea birds of the area. Brown pelicans are one of the only diving pelicans. They can fly up to heights of 60-70 ft to spot a school of bait fish.
Once they have spotted their prey, they will dive straight down bill first. They have been seen below the water as deep as 30 ft due to these amazing dives. They have a throat pouch that can scoop up 3 gallons of water with their catch and filter out the water as they turn the fish around to swallow it headfirst. This helps the fish to slide right down without poking them or getting stuck.
Mythbuster
A common myth about the brown pelican is that they can go blind from the impact of the water, but they have a specific way of holding their neck as they dive and have a specialized air sac that absorbs the blow from the water.
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