Bird of the week: American white pelican
About: Large white waterbird with large yellow-orange bill and black wing feathers. Breeding adults have a large knob on their bill.
Where to find these birds: Can be found pretty much anywhere along the Fox River. Often prefers deeper water and will rest on exposed logs or rocks in the river. Can also be seen flying overhead in large flocks.
When to find this bird: early April–mid November
Fun fact: American White Pelican feeding behaviour is interesting. They hunt for fish cooperatively, but will also try to steal fish from other pelicans and cormorants. In the breeding season they will often hunt at night, but they don’t generally hunt at night in the winter months.