There’s something otherworldly about an American white pelican (Pelecanus erythrorhynchos) drifting across the water. Unlike their brown pelican cousins, who dive headfirst into the sea with reckless abandon, white pelicans hunt with patience and precision—silent phantoms gliding across Florida’s winter waters.
Every year, as the temperatures drop in the northern plains, flocks of white pelicans leave their breeding grounds in the Midwest and Canada, traveling thousands of miles to Florida’s coastal estuaries, lakes, and wetlands. Unlike brown pelicans, which stay year-round, white pelicans are seasonal visitors, appearing in late fall and vanishing again by early spring.
Masters of Cooperative Fishing
One of the most fascinating things about the American white pelican is its teamwork in hunting. Unlike the brown pelican, which hunts alone by plunge-diving into the water, white pelicans work together, herding fish into shallow waters before scooping them up in their enormous pouches. Sometimes, you’ll see an entire group moving in unison, forming a semicircle and driving fish forward—an astonishing display of synchronized hunting.
Their enormous bills—bright orange in breeding season—can hold up to three gallons of water, filtering out what isn’t needed before they swallow their catch whole. It’s a hunting style as ancient as the birds themselves, one that relies on patience and precision rather than speed.
A Bird of Contradictions
Despite their size (with wingspans reaching up to nine feet, nearly as wide as a bald eagle’s), white pelicans are surprisingly silent. Unlike gulls or ibises, which fill the air with chatter, white pelicans rarely make a sound, except for the occasional low grunt or hiss.
In flight, they become even more ghostly, riding thermals and soaring with slow, deliberate wingbeats—so effortless that they seem almost untethered from the earth. Watching them circle overhead, their brilliant white bodies stark against the blue sky, is like seeing something out of a dream.
Ancient Symbolism and Folklore
Pelicans have long been symbols of selflessness, resilience, and sacrifice in folklore. In medieval Europe, the pelican was believed to wound itself to feed its young with its own blood, a legend that made it a symbol of devotion and sacrifice in Christian imagery.
Native American cultures, too, hold pelicans in high regard. Some tribes tell stories of pelicans as protectors of water, while others see them as harbingers of change, appearing in the wake of storms or seasonal shifts. To many, their arrival marks a turning of the tides, a signal that winter has come to the wetlands.
Where to See White Pelicans in Florida
Unlike brown pelicans, which prefer coastal waters, white pelicans favor calm lakes, marshes, and estuaries—places where they can fish undisturbed. If you’re hoping to spot these majestic birds in Florida, some of the best places to look include:
- Merritt Island National Wildlife Refuge – A winter haven for migratory birds.
- Ding Darling National Wildlife Refuge (Sanibel Island) – A prime spot to see white pelicans in large groups.
- Lake Okeechobee & the Everglades – Vast, open waters where flocks often gather.
- St. Marks National Wildlife Refuge – A quiet, scenic spot where white pelicans frequently rest.
A Seasonal Mystery
As spring approaches, the white pelicans depart as quietly as they arrived, heading back to their breeding grounds in the northern plains. Their nests—simple scrapes in the ground on isolated islands—are hidden from most human eyes, making their return to Florida waters all the more mysterious.
They are birds of contradiction: large but silent, powerful but gentle, always appearing and vanishing with the seasons. The ghosts of the water, gliding on borrowed time.
If you ever find yourself near Florida’s coastal marshes in winter, look out across the water. You just might see them—a drifting constellation of white wings, reflected in the stillness below.