There must have been a school of fish in the bay because the pelicans were having a field day today.      They soar around in circles when they spy fish and will then suddenly dive down into the water and snap up the fish in it's huge bill and pouch, which acts like a fishing net.    Two videos below show you the action.

Pelican Facts:

There are eight species of pelicans in the world, all of which are similar in shape and mostly brown and white in color.

Males are generally larger than females and have longer bills

Pelicans can live up to 10-25 years

Besides fish, they will also eat amphibians (such as frogs), turtles, crustaceans and even other small birds and bird eggs.

The pelican's large bill is sensitive and this helps locate fish in murky water. It also has a hook at the end for gripping slippery food items.

Once something is caught, a pelican draws its pouch to its breast. This empties the water and allows the bird to get the prey into a swallowing position.

When fully extended, the pelican's bill/throat pouch can hold up to 3 gallons of water.

The pelican was associated in Ancient Egypt with death and the afterlife. It was depicted in art on the walls of tombs as a protective symbol against snakes.

This video features one of the many pelicans visiting the bay to day in front of Pillar Point RV Park.




Here is a great video I found online that shows under water how a peliclan catches his dinner...