American White Pelicans; Early April Spring Migration through Northern Illinois

The black wings are very visible on this American White Pelican coming
 in for a landing, Nygren Wetlands Preserve, Rockton, IL; 4/10/2011 

By early April another wave of birds start arriving into Northern Illinois. Among this wave are the American White Pelicans. Northern Illinois is on the eastern edge of their migratory route, so it is always a treat to see them in one of our lakes, ponds, or rivers. American White Pelicans often use the Mississippi flyway as a prime route for both their Spring and Fall migrations, and can be found in large squadrons (check my 8/11/10 post http://northernillinoisbirder.blogspot.com/2010/08/american-white-pelicans.html ) on the Mississippi River. Once in a while they venture a few more miles east and can be seen on the Rock River and at Nygren Wetlands Preserve, IL, which is where we saw a few small pods (or pouches, or scoops, or squadrons as flocks of Pelicans are often called) in early April (Above).  In winter, these Pelicans will be found along the Gulf Coast States as well as the southern Pacific Coast and into Mexico and central America. When we see them migrate through our area, they are on their way to their summer homes in shallow ponds, lagoons, and marshes of the North Central Plains States (Minnesota, Montana, North & South Dakota, and parts of Nebraska, Colorado, Idaho, Nevada, and Oregon) as well as the Central Canada. They can also be seen spending their summers in Northern Wisconsin and along sheltered bays of Lake Superior. They find lake islands where they will build a primitive nest of debris and a low mound of earth.

A scoop of American White Pelicans sunning on a shallow sandbar,
Nygren Wetlands Preserve, Rockton, IL; 4/10/2011.

American White Pelicans are one of the largest of the boreal birds. They can weigh as much as 30 pounds and their wing spans can exceed nine feet. While standing or swimming., they appear all white, but in flight (Top) their black primaries and outer primaries are very evident. During breeding their legs, bills and pouch get a bright orange and they grow a rounded keel on their culmen (upper bill) (See Below). During non-breeding months (Sept - Feb), their bills and legs get a duller yellow as seen on my 8/11/10 and 8/12/10 posts about these magnificant birds.

The "keel" on the American White Pelican's culmen is prominent while in their
breeding plumage, Nygren Wetlands Preserve, Rockton, IL; 4/10/2011.

American White Pelicans are excellent fishers and often capture fish cooperatively by swimming in a long line, beating their wings and driving the fish into shallow water where they scoop up the fish in their large pouches, which can hold up to 3 gallons of water. Val and I saw a small pod of these Pelicans at Horicon Marsh National Wildlife Refuge, WI, ( http://www.fws.gov/refuges/profiles/index.cfm?id=32520 ) on Easter morning, where we witnessed them make a circle facing inward,surrounding a school of fish, then all dunking their heads simulataneously to scoop up the fish they trapped. After the fish have been caught the bill is pointed downward allowing the water to drain, and then the bill is raised and the bird swallows its meal. This is unlike their cousins, the Brown Pelican which catch fish by dive bombing from great heights.

I loved this capture of an American White Pelican just about to make its landing in Nygren Wetlands Preserve, Rockton, IL. Wouldn't it be awesome to have this magnificent bird nesting in Northern Illinois? 4/10/2011.

I have read in some sites that because of pesticides, human disturbance, and the draining of wetlands, the American White Pelican is in decline as the number of active colonies has dropped sharply in recent decades. However, I have also read that their population in Wisconsin is growing and in the future their breeding grounds may extend to include the upper Mississippi River, which for now serves only as a migratory route.