American White Pelican • Bird Accounts • Fraser Valley Birding

American White Pelican (Pelecanus erythrorhynchos)

Status in the Checklist Area - (7) Accidental

Information

A huge bird with slow, deliberate wing-beats. A red-listed species of bird with the only known breeding location in B.C. is on Stum Lake in the Chilcotin Plateau. American White Pelicans are migratory and winter in southern California and Mexico. Our best opportunities to view them are during migration in the spring and fall as they pass by on their way to their breeding grounds.

Similar species:
There aren't any similar species that would be expected in the checklist area! Brown Pelicans sometimes travel up the coast from southern waters but are much less likely and are mostly brown rather than white.

Sources:
Ehrlich, Dobkin and Wheye, (1988)

Noteworthy Data

Date	Location	Source(s)	Comments
April 25, 2015	Greenwood Island, Fraser River, Hope	T & D Dal Bello, 2015a	Sitting on a sandbar, remained until April 26, 2015. Appeared to possibly be sick. Photograph displayed below.
Sept. 9, 2006	Ross Lake at Mouth of Skagit River, Skagit Valley.	M. Brown, 2006	Adult landed on the lake near a flock of Canada Geese.
Sept. 9, 2005	Ross Lake at mouth of Skagit River, Skagit Valley.	M. Brown, 2005	Adult landed in the lake. (date appx)
Sept. 3, 2004	Cheam Lake Wetlands, Popkum.	B. Dickey G. Gadsden, 2004a	Sub-adult? Remained until Sept 4, 2004. Observed apparent piracy attempts from Osprey. Photographed.
April 7, 2002	Cheam Lake Wetlands, Popkum.	J. Osterhold, 2002 T. Kohler	Flock of six flew overhead in north east direction.
March 23, 1999	Greendale, Chilliwack.	G. Gadsden, 1999	Relocated at Sardis Pond in downtown Chilliwack. First summer sub-adult. See photos below.
Sept. 3, early 1990's	Ross Lake at Hozameen Campground, Skagit Valley.	M. Brown, 1990	Landed on the lake in front of campground

Photographs

Audio and Video

None available

Back to Species List
Back to Top
Back to Home