File:Brown pelican standing on rock with beak open - DPLA - 2b5bb0bbc083ebe7ca1b15be9b2843fb.jpg

35 mm slide; color. Scientific Classification: Kingdom: Animalia; Phylum: Chordata; Class: Aves; Order: Pelecaniformes; Family: Pelecanidae; Genus: Pelecanus; Genus species: Pelecanus occidentalis. Animal characteristics: Head-Body Length: 127 cm; Identification: The brown pelican has a dark brown body, a long flat bill, and a whitish head with a dark brown hind-neck during breeding season; Habitat: Coasts, oceans; Diet: Carnivore: fish; Reproduction: Nests are built in trees or on the ground. Each pair lays 2-3 eggs with both parents helping to incubate them for 28-30 days. The chicks can fly when they are 9-12 weeks old. Brown pelicans have one brood each year; Social Structure: Brown pelicans remain in flocks while away from the breeding grounds. They forage and rest together, and what one does they all do; Behavior: Brown pelicans are often seen diving into the water from as high as 15 meters, cushioning the impact with the air sacs on the front of their bodies. As they fly over water, they often form single file lines; Status: No special status; Interesting Facts: The brown pelican is the smallest pelican species and the only one that is not white. They have a wingspan of 6.5 feet.