The American White Pelican is a very large bird, growing to be around 55 to 70 inches with a 9 foot wing span! Pretty much unmistakeable, this bird can be found throughout parts of Canada, Mexico and most of the US.

They forage by swimming on top of the water and sticking their bill down underneath, pulling up fish in their pouch. Sometimes they will work together as a group to gather fish together for all to catch. They have been know to line up and swim towards shore, moving the fish ahead of them just to scoop them up when they get closer to shore.

Last year at a small pond I came across a group of American White Pelicans foraging for fish. After watching for a few minutes, I saw them gather together in a circle and swimming closer together making a tighter circle. They all then tipped upside down, putting their heads and bills under water, all their tails up in the air! I wasn’t sure just what they were up to, but after researching their foraging techniques I’ve learned that they were just collectively fishing for their next meal…

Check out the photos below to see the American White Pelican doing their foraging dance…