Verification of Unusual
Sight Record
For Utah
Rec. # 2018-32
| Common name: |
Brown Pelican |
| Scientific name: | Pelecanus occidentalis |
| Date: | 07/09/2018 |
| Time: | 11:10 am |
| Length of time observed: | Approximately 15 minutes |
| Number: | 1 |
| Age: | Juvenile |
| Sex: | unknown |
| Location: | Antelope Island State Park |
| County: | Davis |
| Latilong: | 41.0586,-112.2512 |
| Elevation: | |
| Distance to bird: | Not sure |
| Optical equipment: | 20-60 zoom eyepiece, 82 mm Swarovski Scope |
| Weather: | Sunny |
| Light Conditions: | Fairly good |
| Description: Size of bird: | Large (much larger than nearby gulls) |
| (Description:) Basic Shape: | Big bodied, short legged, rather long necked. |
| (Description:) Overall Pattern: | Brownish upperparts and light underneath |
| (Description:) Bill Type: | Very large pelican type. |
|
(Description:)
Field Marks and Identifying Characteristics: |
Sitting at the edge of the island with many gulls and several Great Blue Herons.
Juvenile overall brownish in color with paler underparts. Huge pelican bill
unmistakable. When pointed down the bill was longer than the bird's neck. The
bird was big bodied and shorter legged than the nearby herons. |
| Song or call & method of delivery: | None |
| Behavior: | Sitting on the waters edge, not active. |
| Habitat: | |
| Similar
species and
how were they eliminated: |
American White Pelican is the only similar species. This bird wasn't white. I could see the facial pattern of the herons and white on the gulls, so I'm confident I was seeing the correct colors. |
| Previous
experience with this & similar species: |
I have more experience with American White Pelicans since they winter on the larger lakes of my home state, but I've seen many Brown Pelicans on the coast. The last one 20 June 2018 in KY. |
| References consulted: | None |
| Description from: | From memory |
| Observer: | Roseanna Denton |
| Observer's address: | P.O. Box 222 |
| Observer's e-mail address: | ** |
| Other observers who independently identified this bird: | Steve Denton |
| Date prepared: | 07/19/2018 |
| Additional material: | Very poor photo taken with smart phone, but may help support ID |
| Additional comments: |