Galápagos Brown Pelicans

The Galápagos Brown Pelican (Pelecanus occidentalis urinator) is named for its distinctive greyish-brown plumage. It has a white patch on its head and neck during the breeding season. Galápagos Brown Pelicans are also known for their long bills and expandable throat pouches. The Galápagos Brown Pelican is a medium-sized bird with a wingspan of 2.3 metres (7.5 feet).

Galápagos Brown Pelicans often nest in mangroves and rocky cliffs and feed in fish-rich coastal waters. To catch fish, they dive head-first from heights up to 10 metres (30 feet). They have exceptional eyesight that helps them hunt. Their eyes are adapted to compensate for the refractive distortion caused by water. The Galápagos Brown Pelican tends to hunt more individually​ and is known to be less social than other species of Brown Pelicans.