Where’s Wildlife · Bird Field Guide
American White Pelican
Pelecanus erythrorhynchos
Pronounced (approx.): pel-eh-KAY-nus eh-rith-roh-RINK-oss
A massive white body, long neck, and enormous yellow-orange bill make a distinctive combination. Explore the photographs, learn its field marks, and discover where to look.
View all 6 photographs ↗How to recognize it
Three identification clues
Resting bird
A massive white body, long neck, and enormous yellow-orange bill make a distinctive combination. [1]
In flight
Black flight feathers contrast sharply with white wings. Watch the broad wings and slow, powerful wingbeats. [1]
Breeding and young birds
Breeding adults grow a plate-like projection on the upper bill. Immatures can show dusky patches on the head and back. [1]
Field tip: Note the bird’s shape and behavior first, then check its markings. Age, season, and lighting can change its appearance.
Where and when to look
Finding American White Pelican
Scan shallow lake edges, sandbars, and resting groups on islands. Look overhead for high, circling flocks and long lines of traveling birds. [1] [2]
Use the range map above for seasonal context and the sightings link below to explore local records.
Listen for it
Learn the songs and calls
Compare Cornell’s recordings with what you hear outdoors. Listen for the rhythm and quality of each sound, then try to locate the bird visually.
Listen to songs and calls at Cornell ↗Compare the details
Common look-alikes
Brown Pelicans are darker and commonly plunge-dive. White pelicans are much larger and show strongly contrasting black-and-white wings in flight.
See similar species and comparison photographs ↗Look closer
Field Photographs
Photographs © Where’s Wildlife. Select any image to explore all 6 photographs.
Life history
How this bird lives
Habitat and nesting
White pelicans scoop prey while swimming rather than plunge-diving. Groups sometimes cooperate to concentrate fish. They nest close together on islands, where disturbance can cause birds to abandon their nesting attempts. [2]
Food and foraging
Fish and other aquatic animals. [2]
Watch where the bird searches for food and how it moves. Feeding behavior can be a useful clue alongside plumage.
Did you know?
A closer look at American White Pelican
Range & Sightings
See where people are finding this bird
Explore community observations, photographs, and locations on iNaturalist. Zoom to your area and use date filters to investigate seasonal sightings.
View iNaturalist Sightings ↗Reported sightings are not a complete range map. An area without records does not necessarily mean the species is absent.
Keep Learning
Bring the clues together
Choose a photograph above and describe three things you notice before looking at the identification cards. On your next walk, compare those clues with the bird’s habitat and behavior.
Sources & Further Reading
Numbered references support the identification details and natural-history information above. Cornell links open All About Birds, from the Cornell Lab of Ornithology.
Previous and next birds follow common-name alphabetical order.