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;VISE OLD BIRD The American White Pelican It shown here at close quarters. A
;dose inspection reveals the black-tipped quill feathers which identity this species in the
;I0 different families of pelicans; The long mandible on the mature pelican is from
3 The big, graceful while bird
Cmt lias become Ihe symbol of
(Clamalh Falls and the king of
pie water fowl in this area bears
an impressive title, "Pclicanus
ferythrorhynchos."
Actually, for convenience of.
those of us who can't pronounce
that long title, this amazing bird
is known simply as the American
White Pelican
There are 10 species of pelicans
nown to inhabit various areas!
qf the world, but only three of
Ciosn are known to live in tills
(jounlry.
t Two of these three are mari
time species, inhabiting. the coasts
( Ihe southern states. Pelccanus
Bicidcntalis is found on the At
lantic Coast of tropical and sub
tropical America. Hie general col
or ol tins bird is mottled silvery
: , -J .St I "
PLCHTY OF PELICANS This view, one of many loaned for this story
by the Klamath County Museum, was taken by R. H. Cook, Klamath
f fs wore most ot the pelican, pictures at the museum. This view
V-V.
... t.
f ECDING TIME
bnsiping over
paits of Upper
ehcan SJominates Hoca
gray and brown, the top of the
head is white and there is no
crest on the beak.
The Pclecanus Californicus is
the representative on the Pacific
Coast of the brown pelican which
it closely resembles. Its head and
neck are white, the general color
being iilvery gray streaked with
brown. It is found from the Gala
pagos Islands as far north as
British Columbia.
The American While Pelican
ranges from the Gulf Coast west
ward into Canada and is common
here on the Pacific Coast.
With the exception of the black
primary wing-quills and neighbor
ing parts, the plumage is entirely'
while, often wilh straw color on
the breast.
'1 he nest of the while ixilican is
n rude heap of earth and trash
!
' V
Pelicans oather for feeding.' In this view they may actually
the events of the day. bul such qroups as this aro a familiar sight
Klamath and Agency Lake.
on which is laid, generally, a sin
gle egg, although nests have been
found with more. The eggs have
a thick, chalky white shell.
When the young are hatched,
they are naked, but soon grow
white down and later this be
comes heavy plumage.
The young pelican is a pink
shade when born.
While the pelican has become
famous in this area with many
structures named after him, and
KUILS adopting him as its mas
cot and nickname, the pelican
actually has been famous since
early times.
Popularly accepted as a symbol
of solitude and desolation, the
pelican found a place in early
Christian art. Popular fancy has
ascribed the red lip at the end
of its beak to blood drawn from
t,
j
12 to 14 inches lonq and sometimes there is a straw-colored feathered section on the
head and on the breast, as one can see here.
its own breast for the nourish
ment of its young, and in ccclcsi
astical symbolism it represents
the church feeding her children
with her life.
Locally, the pelicans long have
dominated Upper Klamath Lake
and other waterways such as
Clear Lake.
They frequent the upper reaches
of Agency Lake and range over
all water in the area. Oftentimes
they can be seen on Lake Ewauna
near the Link River bridge, float
ing calmly like a huge white
battleship on the ocean.
Another apparent favorite spot
of the pelicans is the white
rock at the tip of Bare Island on
Upper Klamath Lake. Here one
finds hundreds of pelicans at
times.
His long bill which is 14 to 18
' ft-
Vs
V T
shows a huge group of pelicans assembled
area for the huge white bird.
YOUNG PELICANS
all. are shown qathered toqether around a rock in Upper KUmath Lake. An ungainly I
looking youngster, the pelican develops into a proud, graceful master of the eir, '
inches long on lop has made
him the subject of a humorous
poem which also refers to the
membraneous pouch under the
lower bill.
The mature pelican ranges from
four to six feet in length and may
have a wing spread from eight to
nine feet.
Two particular habits of the
pelicans arc easily identifiable to
the watcher. Especially during the
warm summer months, one can
sec large groups of pelicans, high
in the sky, soaring around and
around. Their large wings are
heavily quilled and especially
adapted to soaring like gliders.
This appears to he one of the
ports that pelicans enjoy very
much.
the other interesting habit of
the pelicans is that of feeding.
,'' ' ' ' -
"US'
1
Hi
at Clear Lake, a favorite
rd Life
When feeding individually, they
skim the surface of the water or
dive beneath it, scooping up small
fishes in their net - like pou h
Then, after draining off the wa
ter, they swallow them.
Contrary to belief, they do not
catch fish in their pouches and
feed them to their young. Instead.
Ihe pelican feeds the young on
fish regurgitated from the crop.
It is fascinating to watch them
fish as a group. They form a long
semicircle, each bird seeming to
know his appointed place, then
they start beating the water with
their large wings.
The fish, particularly chubs
start rushing away from the noise,
which is what the pelican wants.
Slowly, they move their activities
toward shore, forcing the fish
ahead of them.
In the shallow water they then
begin to feed on the fish.
Although it is said that the
American White Pelican nests
far to the north in summer and
then moves to salt water districts
the south in winter, while
pelicans ran lie found in this
area year round.
One distinct feature found
the American White Pelican not
in others of the species is the
rough horny crest that the male
develops midway on Ihe top of the
upper bill. This crest reaches
about three inches at its highest,
occurring at the peak of the breed
ing period and is subsequently
molted.
Perhaps the biggest monument
to the pelican in this area was the
magnificent White Pelican Hotel
which was a landmark of Mam-
th Falls from its construction
i 1911 until it was destroyed by
(lames in !!Cti.
Oldtimers maintain that t h e
lieliran, however, has decreased
consideraly in this area m recent
years. While there are many peli
cans in the area at times, espe
cially summer, whether they are
actually decreasing in number, is
not known.
A huge male pelican, once the
symbol of the Pelican Bay Lum
ber Company on Upper Klamath
Ijike. is currently exhibited al
the Klamath County Museum. Thi:
stuffed specimen apparently was.
captured during the peak of the
breeding season since the horny
crest is at its peak of about
three inches.
Yes. a majestic bird is Ihe peli
can, whose beak can hold more
lhan his "hellican." but in addi
inn. I lie pelican is a w ise and
bcaulitul bird, the proud symbol
of Klamath rails.
PAGE S-E HERALD AXD
i
BELIES THE FACTS While authorities on the pelicans Indicate that they generally
lay a single egg with a thick chalky shell, here is a nest of five eggs made in the
usual pelican fashion from mud. straw and debris. '
HATCHED OUT Five young pelicans huddle together on the beach. This sort of
life Is all new and requires careful examination by the ungainly looking characters.
' . ....
- v
? s'
NEW OUTLOOK ON LIFE
A pink shade, they quickly
. ' mm r ijq "
HEY, THEY WORK! These two young pelicans find that they can use their wingt
for balance, and they prepare to step out on their own, for a little way anyway.
v.r .... -,
AN UNCOMMON SIGHT
pelicans, mis view, noiir, is a view ?en quite a number ot years ago when peli
cans appeared more plentiful on the waters of Upper Klamath Lake than they do to.
dv.
NEWS, Klimath FNi. Ore.
These two baby pelicans survey the world around them.
grow a crop of fuii and later ample feather protection.
1'.,' Jf-
t. . - "v . 1
'"V,
It's unusual, these days, to
Sunday. February 24, 1963
f lit
v 1
t
see a gathering of this many
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