The American White Pelican uses most of the lakes and reservoirs in Iowa as a stopover before flying to their breeding grounds in Canada. They are one of the largest North American birds, but amazingly very graceful in the air. The birds soar with incredible steadiness on broad, white-and-black wings. Their large heads and huge, heavy bills give them a prehistoric look. On the water they dip their pouched bills to scoop up fish, or tip-up like an oversized dabbling duck. Sometimes, groups of pelicans work together to herd fish into the shallows for easy feeding.
I find them in the little coves and backwaters of Lake Macbride and the backwaters of the Coralville Reservoir, west of HW 965, in both the spring and fall seasons. If winter comes early, you will find them below the dams on the Mississippi river.
50+ American White Pelicans 3/4/23 on the Coralville Reservoir, there were at least 400 in this group
American White Pelicans are very skittish, these birds took off from the middle of the Coralville Res when a man fishing walked within about 200' of them
American White Pelicans have 9' wingspans
As of March 8th 2023, this image had over 350 likes on my facebook posts.
