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<\/a><\/p>\nSome may remember images I posted of this pelican trying to swallow a headless carp at Bear River Migratory Bird Refuge.\u00a0 The fish was so big I was surprised that the bird even made the attempt but it must have thought there was a possibility of success because it spent a long time trying to get it down.<\/p>\n
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The commotion of the attempt caused other pelicans to try to steal the fish away from its possessor.\u00a0 Here the original bird, after numerous failed attempts at swallowing the carp,\u00a0is carrying the same\u00a0fish within its pouch as another pelican reaches from behind and between its wings and bites the pouch containing the carp.\u00a0\u00a0These birds have a mean-looking “mandibular nail” on the end of their upper bill that is useful in holding on to slippery fish but here it can be seen in action as it’s used for another purpose.\u00a0 Kleptoparasitism (stealing food from other birds) is common among pelicans and the attempts have been documented to be successful 37.5%\u00a0of the time.<\/p>\n But the pelican diet is not restricted to large fish and I was able to document that fact yesterday morning at Bear River.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n <\/p>\n Unlike the\u00a0plunge-diving Brown Pelican, American White Pelicans feed\u00a0by swimming on the surface, dipping their bills into the water,\u00a0scooping up fish in their pouch and then raising their bill above horizontal for swallowing.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n <\/p>\n I watched and photographed that process with this bird for quite a while, hoping to get photos as it swallowed a fish but my efforts were largely frustrated.\u00a0 It looked like the pelican was swallowing something but whatever it\u00a0was I could never see it through my lens.\u00a0 This was the best look I got into the pouch.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n <\/p>\n But when I arrived home and looked at the images on my screen I could see (in a couple of shots) what it was eating.\u00a0 Very tiny fish.\u00a0 The\u00a0fish I photographed in the bill and pouch\u00a0didn’t look much larger than\u00a0plump toothpicks.\u00a0 I was somewhat surprised that it’s apparently energy-efficient enough for them to go after such small prey.\u00a0 Since many attempts at them are unsuccessful the effort must use up almost as many calories as they get from such small snacks.<\/p>\n I also notice\u00a0an apparent puncture wound on the neck and\u00a0just below the base of the pouch of this bird and wonder if it was caused by the mandibular nail of another pelican during an altercation.<\/p>\n Ron<\/p>\n Side-note #1:\u00a0 Plunge-diving (from the air into the water) for fish has actually been observed twice\u00a0in American White Pelicans – both instances occurred at Pyramid Lake, Nevada.\u00a0 Makes me wonder if\u00a0that feeding tactic might one day appear as more typical behavior in American White Pelicans…<\/em><\/p>\n Side-note #2:\u00a0 Pelicans can get into serious trouble by trying to swallow fish too large or fish\u00a0carcasses with exposed bones and spines.\u00a0 An example can be seen here<\/a> and it’s an interesting read.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":" American White Pelicans eat fish almost exclusively and the size range of fish they’ll attempt to swallow can be extreme. If they show poor judgment they can get into serious trouble. <\/p>\n<\/a><\/p>\n<\/a><\/p>\n<\/a><\/p>\n<\/a><\/p>\n