I noticed some large white birds across the lake and assuming they were the occasional Tundra Swans that drop in during migration season, I grabbed my camera and paddled the kayak across Caribou lake to check them out. When I got close enough to identify them, it turned out that they were large white pelicans.
Pelicans hunt in groups and round up small fish where they can easily grab them for a meal. These birds were doing exactly that. They were so busy fishing that they didn't notice me until I had floated up quit close. Once they noticed me they swam a few yards and than took the air.The pelicans were probably blown off course from their normal migration route by strong upper winds. The birds were several hundred miles from their normal flyway up Minnesota River Valley. They didn't seem to mind the detour and found a good fishing hole right in my back yard.
It is a very large and plump bird; its overall length is about 50–70 inches , courtesy of the huge beak which measures 13–14.4 inches in males and 10.4–13 in. in females. It has a wingspan of about 95–120 in and weighs between 11 and 19 lb.
Breeding on lakes throughout the northern Great Plains and mountain West, the American White Pelican is one of the largest birds in North America. It winters along the coasts, but breeds only inland.
