Pelican

A Brown Pelican racing us to the shore. The last one there buys the shrimp. The Brown Pelican (Pelecanus occidentalis) is the smallest of the eight species of pelican, although it is a large bird in nearly every other regard. It is 42–54 " in length, weighs from 6-12 lb and has a wingspan from 6 to 8.2 ft. After nesting, North American birds move in flocks further north along the coasts, returning to warmer waters for winter. Their young are hatched in broods of about 3, and eat around 150 lbs. of fish in the 8-10 month period they are cared for.