The Peli's

Monday was a terrific day at the Wildlife Center - it was a beautiful day outside and everyone was in a good mood.  The number of birds has decreased to around 30 now and there are several that will be releasable any day now.  The light caseload and sunshine made for a perfect day to spend some time in the aviaries cleaning the pools.  I've wrestled with the siphon for a few days but I think I have it figured out now  - as a side note, I would like to thank all my friends with pools that I've visited over the years; I had no idea all that went into keeping a pool clean!  So I spent most of the day feeding the birds and then cleaning the pools.  This is one of my favorite things to do lately since it so peaceful and I am able to just hang out with the birds without them freaking out.  They seem to relax once they realize I'm not there to catch them or give them meds and they just do their own thing. 

Most of my time on this particular day was spent in the pelican enclosure.  These animals are absolutely amazing and are so much fun to watch.  I'm not sure what it is about a pelican that awakens the imagination - maybe the odd size and shape of their bill and pouch or their impressive flight patterns over the water or the seemingly quirky habits they display.  Whatever it is, pelicans are graceful yet clumsy and I could sit and observe their behavior and interactions for hours. 

The two pelicans we have at the Wildlife Center (we refer to them as "Peli's") are both Brown Pelicans.  Brown Pelicans can be found in the Gulf region year-round and are distinguished from other pelican species by the dark brown/gray on their bodies although the head and neck of the adults are at least partially white.  Brown pelicans are also the only pelican species that dives for their dinner - they fly near the surface of the water then dive into the water to catch its prey.  Upon entering the water, they will grab a mouthful of water, thereby trapping the fish in their large expandable pouch.   Once back on land, they allow the water to drain out of their bill and swallow the fish that are left.  They stand about 4 foot tall and have webbed feet with four toes.  They are strong swimmers and even stronger in flight but very awkward walkers.  They almost went extinct in the 60's due to the use of pesticides and the effects it had on their eggs.  However, due to federal intervention, by 1985 were taken off the endangered species list and they now serve as a symbol of the potential success of wildlife conservation efforts.

The young pelican that we have is very healthy now and is probably less than a year old.  She gets very annoyed with people and isn't afraid to let you know it.  She is extremely vocal and will snap her bill at you to ensure that you know you are not welcome.  For some reason this is very amusing to me and I have to giggle a little at her youth and feigned boldness.  She has started to feed herself with fish that we provide in a large bucket but was probably separated from her mother and the rest of the flock at a young age since it took her a couple of weeks to figure out how to eat a fish on her own - pelicans are born defenseless, naked and pink but are large enough to swallow a fish by 3-4 weeks of age.  By around 3 months, they are covered with feathers, large enough to be able to fly and find food for themselves.  They don't reach sexual maturity until 3-4 years old and they can live as long as 40 years.  Later this week, our young girl will be transported to an affiliated Oiled Wildlife Center in another state that has several other pelicans around her age so that she can learn how to fish and do other pelican things along with them. 

A young brown pelican balances on an oil boom on Cat Island near Grand Isle, La.

Sean Gardner-Reuters (Washington-Post)

The adult pelican we have will also be transferred to another facility.  When she was found, she had 3 toes missing on one of her feet.  She still has reasonable balance and the injury doesn't appear to have seriously effected her.  She is in great condition now and has been accepted at a zoo in a neighboring state.  We have started tossing fish to her and she seems to really enjoy the game....until she is tired of it (usually after about 10 fish).  She is a little grumpy with the younger peli and has been known to snap at her or put her in a headlock with her bill when the youngster gets too annoying.  She will be transported later this week as well and I will really miss them - they have been very entertaining!

In addition to transporting the peli's, we have three laughing gulls that are young but well waterproofed so they just need a little time to start flying.  Since the goal of this center is strictly for washing and short-term rehabilitation, we have found another rehabilitation center that has agreed to take on these guys until they get a little older so they were transported there on Monday afternoon.  It's really a good feeling to know that these animals are healthy and alive and now have a chance at a long, full life.  And I actually had a small impact on their recovery - what a humbling and inspiring thought!!