I took a ride out to Cedar Key yesterday. This adult brown pelican was hanging out waiting for scraps and leftover bait as boats came into the harbor. If you've never been close to a pelican, these birds are huge. At Cedar Key, they will land on your outboard motor as you idle into the harbor. If no scraps are offered, they lift off and wait for the next boat.
They are so common now, it's hard to believe they were facing extinction during Teddy Roosevelt's administration. Pelican Island National Wildlife Refuge was established over a hundred years ago to preserve their breeding grounds.
I have a photo of a juvenile brown pelican that I will post next so you can see the difference in coloration.
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