American White Pelican

Overview

The American White Pelican (Pelecanus erythrorhynchos) is one of the largest birds in North America, with a wingspan reaching 3 metres and a body weight up to 9 kg. Its plumage is almost entirely white except for black primary and outer secondary feathers that flash prominently during flight. The defining feature is a massive, flat-topped orange bill — during breeding season males grow a laterally-flattened fibrous plate on the upper mandible that is shed immediately after nesting.

Unlike the Brown Pelican, which plunge-dives for fish, the American White Pelican feeds while swimming. Groups work cooperatively, forming lines or horseshoe formations that herd fish toward shallow water before dipping their pouched bills in unison. Their size and cooperative feeding behaviour make them easy to identify from a distance.

Why Tortuguero

This species breeds far inland — the Great Plains and Canadian Prairies — and winters on warm coastal lagoons as far south as Costa Rica. Tortuguero falls at or beyond the southern edge of its regular wintering range, making sightings genuinely uncommon. When they do appear, it is typically at the river mouth, the lagoon system, or on sandbanks where fish concentrate. Their presence reflects the park’s position as a functioning coastal wetland connected to international migration routes.

How to see them (honestly)

• Most likely November through April, when North American winter populations extend southward
• Look at the river mouth and larger open lagoons — they won’t be in forest interior
• Scan flocks of mixed waterbirds; the white-and-black pattern and enormous orange bill are unmistakable
• A sighting is not guaranteed and should not be the basis of a trip; consider it a bonus on any canal tour during the northern winter

Status note

The American White Pelican is listed as Least Concern by the IUCN, with a population estimated at roughly 180,000 birds that has recovered from mid-20th-century declines caused by pesticide contamination and persecution. Current threats include wetland drainage at breeding sites, entanglement in fishing gear, and disturbance during nesting — all of which occur primarily in North America, outside Tortuguero’s jurisdiction. Costa Rican sightings represent the fringe of a stable, recovering population.