American White Pelicans

A large, heavy bodied, white waterbird with short legs. The feet are webbed and the wings are long and broad, with a black trailing edge. The tail is short and the bill is long with extensible pouch. The White Pelican does not dive for fish as the Brown Pelican does. Instead, it dips its head underwater to scoop up fish. Several pelicans may fish cooperatively, moving into a circle to concentrate fish, and then dipping their heads under simultaneously to catch fish.