Video by Kerry Jacobsen | Times Vedette
This group of American white pelicans was seen taking a break in the waters of Lake Panorama on Monday. They can be found year-round in Iowa, but their numbers increase during migration from March to April and August to November.
According to birdadvisors.com, American white pelicans have several molting changes, known as eclipse. In the spring, they have a visible yellowish patch on their breast and chest. In the summer, blackish feathers appear on their heads.
Pelicans are one of the world’s largest birds and one of the most recognizable with their huge bills, throat pouch and feet. Although they are large, they are light, and they have air pockets in their skeleton and skin that help them float. Their long wings help them to soar when flying.
They use their throat pouch to catch fish and drain the water own before swallowing. The long and huge bill of the American white pelican is capable of holding three gallons of water. When it scoops up fish from the sea, it tilts its bill down to drain the water so it can then swallow the fish that’s left inside its throat sac.