About Us
Our Safari Camp, roamed by wild giant tortoises and bordering the Galapagos National Park, is small by design and exclusive by definition. We design tailor-made safaris to meet incredible Galapagos wildlife.
Brown Pelican (Pelecanus occidentalis urinator)
A wonderful bird is the pelican,
His bill will hold more than his belican,
He can take in his beak
Food enough for a week,
But I’m damned if I see how the helican.
– Limerick by Dixon Lanier Merritt, 1910
The Brown Pelican is one of the easiest birds in the Galapagos to recognize. With a wingspan of over two metres and a body length of around 110 centimetres, it glides low over the water, its long neck tucked back in an S-shape and its enormous bill poised for action.
Distinctive Appearance
Adults are mostly dark brown with pale heads and necks, which turn chestnut and creamy white during the breeding season, when the wings also take on a silvery sheen. Immature birds are plainer, brown above and lighter below. Despite their size, pelicans move with surprising grace, both on the wing and when they land deftly on the water’s surface.
Feeding and Behavior
The Brown Pelican is famous for its spectacular feeding style: a seemingly clumsy yet perfectly timed plunge-dive. From as high as 15 metres (50 feet), it folds its wings and drops headfirst into the sea, scooping up fish and seawater into its expandable throat pouch. The water drains away, leaving behind a meal of small fish and crustaceans.
At this point, it’s not uncommon to see a Brown Noddy swoop down and land on the pelican’s head, attempting to snatch a fish directly from the pouch — a bold act known as kleptoparasitism. Despite such thefts, pelicans remain patient and unruffled, often resuming their hunt moments later.
These birds are often seen around ports and fishing boats, patiently waiting for scraps, or resting together on mangrove roots and coastal rocks. Though widespread and common, their comical expressions and lumbering silhouettes make them endlessly fascinating to watch.
Nesting and Young
Brown Pelicans breed year-round in small colonies or as individual pairs, building untidy nests of twigs in mangroves, shrubs, or sometimes on rocky ledges. Both parents share incubation duties for about 30 days. The chicks – noisy, awkward, and not particularly beautiful – fledge after roughly ten weeks.
Where to See Them
Brown Pelicans are found throughout the Galapagos Islands, particularly near mangrove lagoons, anchorages, and fishing ports.
On our Safaris, guests may spot them gliding over the coastlines during day excursions or resting along the shore.
