PELICANS IN TEXAS vs.PELICANS IN MANITOBA.

I have always loved Pelicans.  They are the only birds that seem to fly for the sheer joy of it.  They are fish eaters and have no reason to fly out over the land.  Yet during the day, at the lake, they will fly out over the land and soar on the air currants for hours.  Their flight is so graceful.  With a few flaps of their wings they soar in circles, with no particular destination that is obvious.  It is a joy to watch. 




Well, we have Pelicans down here in Texas, but somehow they are just not the same.  If you see them from a distance in flight you think that it is the same bird, and that it's just in shadow.  Then you see them up close and they look like they are all dirty.

They are Brown Pelicans, and they have different appearances depending on whether they are young or adult, male or female, breeding or non-breeding.  All of these looks I find rather drab.  Especially compared to the gorgeous swan like look of the White Pelican at left that we are used to back home. 

Apparently they have some White Pelicans here in Texas, but I've never seen one.  Only the drab looking Brown ones.    So I will look forward to seeing my favorite graceful bird when I get back to Manitoba. 

I was just reminded of an old poem.: 

A wonderful bird is the pelican.
His beak can hold more than his belly can.
He can hold in his beak
Enough food for a week!
But I'll be darned if I know how the hellican?

Thanks Dave.