Pelicans: graceful high flyers
PHOTOS BY GARRY BRANDENBURG — American White Pelicans rest on a sandbar of the Iowa River earlier this week. When watching them fly, usually in large spiraling groups, their long wings are perfect gliders to find rising columns of air. When landing, they come in low and slow, extend their webbed feet and slide to a stop at the same time as their wings begin to fold into resting positions. It is a graceful depiction of flying. White Pelicans are just one of many species, large, medium or small, to be making northward migrations during May. There will be many opportunities at wildlife habitat areas to observe new arrivals.
Today’s featured creature is the American White Pelican (Pelecanus erthrorhynchos). This is a very large bird, all white, except for black wingtip primary feathers, an orange long bill with its web skin lower mandible is made for capturing small fish, and look carefully at the top bill to see a knob-like growth.
That growth is a temporary indicator of spring breeding conditions. Later in the year, after eggs have been laid, that upper bill marker will fall off.
There are eight pelican species in the world and two in North America, the white and the brown.
The wingspan of an adult white pelican is about 108 inches (nine feet) that adds to their great flight capability with lots of gliding. Sometimes huge assemblages of white pelicans can be seen, circling together and at stacked heights, with the entire mass gradually making its journey north.
It is an awesome thing to see when one is in the right place at the right time. At other times, if a large flock is resting either on the water or a beach environment, the mass of white feathers and large bodies may at first be thought to be snow geese. A quick notation from binoculars will confirm that they are pelicans.
A few years ago a large flock of white pelicans stopped for a visit at the pond in Riverside Cemetery. That was a great time for local folks to come see these wild birds up close.
It was also a great time for wildlife photographers, like me and others, to bring out big power telephoto lenses and attempt to capture behavior in action. One behavior was how these birds worked in unison to try and force fish into shallow water, then all together they dipped their bills and heads into the water in attempts to capture fish.
When fish were trapped in the large bottom bill sack, there was a temporary scrambling from other pelicans to steal the fish another bird was attempting to swallow. All intimidation was quickly forgotten as the big birds resumed another fish finding tactic.
Small fish are the usual target. Minnow, carp and suckers in rivers, ponds or lakes are all fair feeding foods. Salamanders, frogs, and crayfish are okay also.
Game fish such as small trout during spawning runs are another source to be exploited. Most of the time the fish pelicans hunt, capture and eat off of little commercial value. Except when pelicans stop over at catfish farm ponds in places like Arkansas, southern Missouri or Mississippi delta lands.
A white pelican nest is a shallow depression excavated near ponds or lakes in the Dakotas, Montana, Wyoming, and prairie provinces of Canada. Two large eggs are typically laid.
The first young bird to hatch is of distinct advantage because it will be fed first and grow quickly. When the second egg hatches, that young bird gets pecked continually by its sibling and usually dies. Only one chick survives.
Even with all the obstacles to its population, white pelicans are shy, sensitive to human disturbances, and have a stable overall population rate of low concern by authorities of the American Breeding Bird Survey Partners in Flight. The global population is estimated at 450,000 birds.
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Other big birds are on my personal watch radar. I am watching a pair of Sandhill Cranes when they happen to be near the Mann Wetlands south of Albion and Wild Turkeys are also on my list to photograph. My photo site is not the same place I sit and call from when bowhunting from a portable blind.
I also have a photo based light weight decoy attached to the riser on my bow handle. Statewide, as of mid week, over 8,500 wild turkeys have been taken by gun hunters and/or archers. The last day of Iowa’s wild turkey season is May 14.
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Little birds are always interesting. I have spotted a Red-breasted Nuthatch in addition to the more commonly seen White-breasted Nuthatch. Nuthatches are short-tailed acrobats. Their tiny clawed toenails allow them to climb up, down, upside down or around any tree branches as they explore tree bark and tiny crevices for bugs.
A brilliant full color Red-headed Woodpecker is making good use of my backyard peanut feeder and suet dispenser. This species has strong claws, short legs, and a stiff tail to allow it to brace itself for feeding. Its sharp bill makes for easy chiseling to seek out food from tree bark, to excavate nest holes, and to use its bill as a drum to send territorial signals to other Red-heads.
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Since this story has a lot of information about birds, I’ll add a few more. First of all, Ducks Unlimited will host their fundraising banquet on Saturday, May 13, 2023 at the Midnight Ballroom in Marshalltown. Doors open at 5 p.m.
Tickets can be purchased in advance, a price break incentive, for a single at $50, sponsorship at $275, Greenwing/Youth $30, or spouse meal only for $15. Call Rich Naughton at 641-328-0124 to purchase tickets.
Ducks Unlimited annual operations in Iowa are significant. Their wetland enhancement programs are meant to synchronize with and help leverage other local or state funds to improve habitat in wetland settings. It takes money to make these habitat projects happen. As a private conservation organization, DU has a track record that is exemplary.
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May is our new month. Spring weather is hopefully here to stay, and with May come longer day lengths, warmer air temperatures and rain.
On May 1, day length will be 14 hours and one minute. On the 31st, it will be 15 hours and zero minutes, a 59 minute increase. Sunrise now is 6:07 a.m., and on the 31st, it will happen at 5:38 am. Sunset now is 8:08 p.m. On the 31st, the sun will slide down the western horizon at 8:38 p.m.
Song bird migration will really ramp up during May. Here are just a few, not all, that may perchance come into your field of vision. The Cuckoos, both Yellow-billed and Black-billed, Eastern Nighthawk, Ruby-throated Hummingbird, Red-headed woodpecker, Kingbird, Flycatchers, Wood Pewee, Short-billed Marsh Wren, Catbird, Wood thrush, Red-eyed Vireo, Lots of warblers, Ovenbird, American Redstart, Bobolink, Orioles, Scarlet Tanager, Rose-breasted Grosbeak, Indigo Bunting, Dickscissel, Harris’ Sparrow and White-crowned sparrow.
North America has 1,023 species of birds. Obviously we do not have all of them in Iowa, but a good share can be found in the Midwest. Keep on looking.
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May happenings to note on your calendar include an 1890 meteorite that fell on May 2, 11 miles northwest of Forest City. In 1897, the General Assembly chose the wild rose as the Iowa State Flower.
By May 9, bluebirds will have hatched their first of two broods. Mourning Dove surveys will get underway by wildlife managers and biologists. National safe boating week begins May 20 to emphasize lifesaving skills while on water bodies. Musky fishing season begins on May 21 and goes through Nov. 30 in lakes bordering on or in Minnesota and Iowa plus Iowa’s Great Lakes. On May 28, 1920, Backbone State Park was dedicated as the first State Park, and although we hope winter is long past, in 1947 on May 28, 10 inches of snow fell in northwest Iowa.
The last May minute is this: morel mushrooms will seemingly poke their fruiting bodies above the forest leaf litter — yummy in the tummy.
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An anonymous person said “The more I want to get something done, the less I call it work.”
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Garry Brandenburg is the retired director of the Marshall County Conservation Board. He is a graduate of Iowa State University with a BS degree in Fish & Wildlife Biology.
Contact him at:
P.O. Box 96
Albion, IA 50005
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- PHOTOS BY GARRY BRANDENBURG — American White Pelicans rest on a sandbar of the Iowa River earlier this week. When watching them fly, usually in large spiraling groups, their long wings are perfect gliders to find rising columns of air. When landing, they come in low and slow, extend their webbed feet and slide to a stop at the same time as their wings begin to fold into resting positions. It is a graceful depiction of flying. White Pelicans are just one of many species, large, medium or small, to be making northward migrations during May. There will be many opportunities at wildlife habitat areas to observe new arrivals.
Outdoors Today
Bluebirds and Bluebells = Spring
Northern Pike eggs now in Spirit Lake hatchery
Robins adapt to March’s variable weather
Sportsman’s sale at Ikes April 5-6
Wildlife taxidermy art on display March 23
