Skip to main content
U.S. flag

An official website of the United States government

Provisioning rate of Brown Pelican in the northern Gulf of Mexico (2014-2015)

Published by U.S. Geological Survey | Department of the Interior | Catalog Last Checked: August 01, 2026 at 06:20 AM | Dataset Last Updated: August 17, 2020 at 12:00 AM
The Brown Pelican (Pelecanus occidentalis) is a large-bodied seabird that nests in colonies of 10 to upwards of 5,000 pairs, on nearshore barrier islands in subtropical and tropical North American waters. It breeds between March and August, laying 2–3 eggs and raising 1–2 chicks per year. The species is facultatively migratory during nonbreeding, with some individuals remaining resident and others leaving breeding areas. Pelicans forage in near- and offshore waters and capture schooling fish by plunge-diving. This dataset summarizes provisioning rates of Brown Pelicans throughout the chick-rearing period, from hatch (late April) through fledging (early August), in 8 colonies in Texas (2014), and Alabama and the Florida Panhandle (2015). We conducted 3-hour nest observations of groups of 15 – 20 nests throughout the chick-rearing period (every 5 – 7 days). We recorded all direct feedings in which a nestling’s head entered an adult’s throat and the nestling’s throat was subsequently engorged. We calculated meal delivery rates on a per-nest basis.

Resources

2 resources available

Find Related Datasets

data.gov

An official website of the GSA's Technology Transformation Services

Looking for U.S. government information and services?
Visit USA.gov