American White Pelican is larger. White pelicans have two species; one is the American white pelican. The average weight in Florida of 47 females was 3.17 kg (7.0 lb), while that of 56 males was 3.7 kg (8.2 lb). Immatures are gray-brown above (including the head and neck) with pale whitish belly and breast. Description The brown pelican usually plunge-dives head-first for its prey, from a height as great as 10–20 m (33–66 ft), especially for anchovies and menhaden. The Peruvian is considerably larger than Brown, with conspicuous pale wing coverts and scapulars. In breeding plumage, the back and sides of the neck turn a rich, dark reddish-brown. Watching a squadron of a hundred or more Brown Pelicans plunge diving is exciting! They feed by plunge-diving from high up, using the force of impact to stun small fish before scooping them up. Squadrons glide above the surf along southern and western coasts, rising and falling in a graceful echo of the waves. Avibase is an extensive database information system about all birds of the world, containing over &1 million records about 10,000 species and 22,000 subspecies of birds, including distribution information for 12,000 regions, taxonomy, synonyms in several languages and more. Photo about Detail of a peruvian pelican in Paracas, Peru. It used to be considered a subspecies of the Brown Pelican ( Pelecanus occidentalis ). Sexual partners stay together only for one particular season and area only in pelicans. Pelican nesting is of two main types, as some species (Australian, Dalmatian, Great White, and American White pelicans) nest on the ground and others (Pink-backed, Spot-billed, Brown, and Peruvian pelicans) nest on trees. Brown Pelicans; including Peruvian Pelicans, are the only pelicans to feed using the plunge-dive method. There are of course other differences that I haven’t mentioned but I think I have covered the basics. The Peruvian Pelican, Pelecanus thagus, is a member of the pelican family. Brown Pelicans are medium-sized pelicans which often fly in groups forming "Vs" or lines of several to 20 or so individuals. They live mostly around the Danube delta. Image of national, pacific, pelican - 113100364 The Peruvian pelican was previously treated as a subspecies of the brown pelican, but is now considered a separate species on the basis of its much greater size (around double the weight of the brown pelican), differences in bill color and plumage, and a lack of hybridization between the forms despite a … The other species, the Great White or Old World White Pelican makes its home in Europe, Africa, and Asia. The species breeds along the Pacific Coast of South America in Peru and Chile. Adult American White Pelican – Nikon D200, f8, 1/1000, ISO 320, +03 EV, Nikkor 200-400mm VR with 1.4x TC at 357mm, natural light. Though closely related, the Peruvian Pelican is almost twice as large as its northern congener, the Brown Pelican. They may fly high, often riding thermals, or low near the waves. The other species, the Great White or Old World White Pelican makes its home in Europe, Africa, and Asia. The only other pelican to feed using a similar technique is the Peruvian pelican, but its dives are typically from a lower height than the brown pelican. Pelicans The Peruvian Pelican , Pelecanus thagus , is a member of the pelican family. Photo about Detail of a peruvian pelican in Paracas, Peru. Sexual partners stay together only for one particular season and area only in pelicans. It lives on the west coast of South America, from Lobos de Tierra Island in Peru to Pupuya Islet in Chile. American White Pelican has white back; Brown Pelican has gray-brown back. The Peruvian Pelican is classified as Near Threatened (NT), is close to qualifying for or is likely to qualify for a threatened category in the near future. Pelicans. The recent arrival of American White Pelicans to the Salt Lake Valley started me thinking about the differences between Brown Pelicans and American White Pelicans. Pelican nesting is of two main types, as some species (Australian, Dalmatian, Great White, and American White pelicans) nest on the ground and others (Pink-backed, Spot-billed, Brown, and Peruvian pelicans) nest on trees. Peruvian Pelican not found in North America. Image of national, pacific, pelican - 113100364 The Brown Pelican and the Peruvian Pelican are closely related and once were considered the same species. Adult Brown Pelican head is often yellowish; adult Peruvian Pelcian head is white. During the breeding season, the female brown pelican lays 2 to 3 eggs. The differences between brown pelicans and white pelicans include their range, their color, their hunting habits and their size. Unlike most pelicans, it is … Dalmatian Pelican (Pelecanus crispus) Spot-billed Pelican (Pelecanus philippensis) Pink-backed Pelican (Pelecanus rufescens) Australian Pelican (Pelecanus conspicillatus) Great White Pelican (Pelecanus onocrotalus) Brown Pelican (Pelecanus occidentalis) + Peruvian Pelican (Pelecanus thagus) The Brown Pelican is a comically elegant bird with an oversized bill, sinuous neck, and big, dark body. Distinctive in south of range, but in north occurs with appreciably smaller Brown Pelican, which lacks the big whitish upperwing panel of Peruvian, has a less colorful bill without a yellow base (on adults), and lacks the turquoise-blue pouch seen on Peruvian Pelican.