California Brown Pelican

California Brown Pelican (Pelicanus occidentalis californianus)

Everyone loves watching the squadrons of California brown pelicans gliding along the Punta Banda coast and spectacularly plunge diving for fish. But few people know that this is one of only two species of pelicans in the world that dive for fish rather than catching fish while swimming. They circle as high as 60 feet in the air and then dive at a steep (60 to 90 degree) angle, headfirst, plunging under water to catch fish. To prevent injury from the powerful force of hitting the water during these dramatic dives, they have air sacs beneath the skin on their breasts to act like cushions. They also rotate their bodies slightly to the left while diving to prevent injury to the esophagus and trachea, which are on the right side of the pelican’s neck. After breaking the water’s surface, the brown pelican opens its bill and expands it’s pouch to trap the fish inside, then pops to the surface, lets the water spill out of its pouch, and gulps down its meal.

You might notice that the brown pelicans disappear from the Punta Banda coastline for several weeks in late spring and then return during the summer in large numbers.  This is because they head off for Todos Santos Island and other local islands in the spring to breed, and return with their young once they’re ready to fly.

Juvenile brown pelicans are a dull greyish brown, and as the birds mature their necks turn white. During the breeding season, their heads turn golden yellow and their throat patches turn a rich, dark-reddish brown

Brown pelican squadrons frequently follow fishing vessels along the Baja California coastline, diving for fish in the vicinity of fishing nets. This feeding behavior can result in the pelicans being caught as incidental catch in fishing nets.

The size of the Baja California population of brown pelican is currently unknown, but a research project was funding in 2024 to assess the population breeding at Todos Santos Island. Mexico Pacific Sardine Fishery Brown Pelican Project 2024 | Marine Stewardship Council (msc.org)

The California Brown Pelican  shares breeding and feeding habitats between Mexico and the United States. Historically, both countries have developed different strategies for their conservation. The Binational Network for Monitoring and Conservation of the Brown Pelican was established in 2019, with its first face-to-face meeting held in Ensenada, Baja California. This collaborative effort aims to evaluate range-wide distribution, population trends, and connectivity among Brown Pelican colonies in the Pacific Ocean and Gulf of California. The network includes diverse partners from governmental and non-governmental organizations, as well as academic institutions in both Mexico and the United States