The Brown Pelican (Pelecanus occidentalis) is the national bird of St. Maarten – and is featured on both our coat of arms and our flag. They are a common sight on the island – resting in the salt pond or near the docks; and gliding in the sky over the coast.
Although the Brown Pelican is a large bird, it is actually the smallest of the pelican species. Its body is approximately 120cm long with a wingspan of over 2m. They weigh around 4kg and have a very long bill which reaches out over 30cm and has a pouch hanging down. Adult birds are silvery grey with a white head and often a pale yellow crown. In breeding season, they will develop reddish coloured feathers under the throat. They have black legs and feet. Young birds have a grey neck and are white underneath.
They are one of only two species of pelican which dive into the water from a great height (up to 60ft) to fish. It is an amazing sight; often they dive right below the surface of the water, bobbing up a few seconds later. The impact of the dive on the water stuns the fish and the pelican is then able to gather them in his bill pouch. The pouch is featherless and flexible and extends to store the fish while the pelican is hunting. The pouch can hold three times as much as the stomach of the bird. The pelican drains the water out the pouch before he swallows the fish. They eat mainly fish, but enjoy the occasional crustacean too. They can eat up to 1.8kg of fish per day. They like to hang around fishing boats – hoping to scavenge for scraps.
The pelican is quite ungainly and clumsy on land, but very graceful in the air. They are most often seen flying in a line, following each other, though on occasion they make a “V” formation in the sky. They are particularly buoyant in the water which means they can float well. This is because of internal air sacs below their skin and in their bones. The air sacs also protect them from the impact of the high dives they perform.
They are social birds, tending to nest in colonies or groups. The male chooses the nesting site then puts on a display to attract his mate. He collects the nesting material and the female builds the nest. Here in St. Maarten, pelicans usually nest between June and August. The most important nesting sites are the offshore islets, particularly Molly Beday and at Fort Amsterdam. Pelicans nest in trees and bushes, on cliffs and even on the ground. They build an edge of soil around the ground nests and line them with feathers. Tree nests are made from vegetation like reeds, grasses and sticks.
The incubation period for the chalky white eggs is about one month. Usually two or three hatchlings will be born, and both parents take care of them. They are born bald and blind. The chicks later grow a fine silky down before their feathers finally develop. They stay in the tree nest for about 80 days, whereas hatchlings in ground nests emerge at five weeks. During this time, the parents feed them regurgitated fish and they will continue to care for them for up to 10 months. If you see a nest, be very careful not to disturb it or go too near – pelicans are skittish around their nests and have been known to abandon them through fear of humans.
St. Maarten Nature Foundation has identified the threats to the Brown Pelican as being loss of habitat due to coastal construction, the reduction of available fish supplies and the risk to the birds from marine debris such as plastic bags and garbage.
