Brown Pelicans: The Clowns of the Ten Thousand Islands

It is nesting season. These huge ungainly birds nest high in the mangroves:

Pelecanus occidentalis are the smallest of the world’s six pelican species, but nonetheless their wingspan reaches 7ft 6in.

The males collect nesting materials. This one was working hard to break off the perfect twig at water level:

Success!

He then proffers the brand (pr twig) to the female in what I promise you is called by ornithologists a “Nest Material Presentation Display”! He carries the twigs to his mate, big ones at first to build the base, then progressively smaller ones.

By the end, small sprigs to create a soft lining are what she wants:

Irresistible echoes of the dove returning to the Ark.*

It can take 7-10 days to build the nest, which only survives for one season. True love.

PS They are monogamous for the season, but no-one really knows if the pair bond is carried over from year to year. They typically have 3 eggs.

*We just went with the grandkids to the Boston Lyric Opera’s production of Benjamin Britten’s children’s opera Noye’s Fludde. Highly recommended for the right child! The dove was a child in a paper hat flapping her arms.