Without question the most graceful bird to visit Clear Lake is the American white pelican. This graceful visitor has been drawn the attention of hundreds of tourists and local residents as it soars around the lake.
When the threadfin shad population crashed last year the pelicans left the lake. Now with the resurgence of the silverside minnows and the thousands of young bass, crappie and bluegill scattered around Clear Lake, the pelicans have once again returned. The best estimate on the number of white pelicans presently on the lake ranges from 250-500, and the population continues to grow.
They are a large bird, weighing up to 20 pounds and having a 9 1/2-foot wingspan. In spite of their huge size they sit high on the water because their bones are full of air and they have large air sacs in their body. Because of this they cannot dive underwater. Their primary food is fish and crustaceans. An adult pelican can consume up to 5 pounds of fish per day. Pelicans can live up to 25 years.
They have a yellowish pouch connected to the bottom of their bill that stretches up to six inches. Their bodies are solid white with black wingtips and during the mating season the male develops a large growth on the upper part of his beak. The bill is also bright orange during the mating season. Their feet are orange and are webbed and their legs are extremely short. In fact, a pelican has a hard time walking on land. An adult American pelican rarely makes any kind of vocal sound with the exception of an occasional grunt.
Unlike other species of pelicans, which dive for their food from great heights, the white pelican scoops small fish up into its pouch while swimming. The pelican dips its beak, which allows the water to drain out of the pouch. The pouch can hold up to three gallons of water. It then tips its bill upward, allowing the water to drain out, and swallows the fish.
How pelicans actually catch their fish is what makes the birds so fascinating. A flock of a dozen or more pelicans will surround a school of baitfish and then, by flapping their wings on the surface, drive the fish into shallow water where the birds scoop up the fish.
More than once I have observed a single pelican feeding on fish. The pelican swims along with its large bill underwater and scoops up the silversides. Once I even saw a pelican attempt to swallow a 5-pound carp. The carp ended up becoming stuck in the pelican”s throat. In fact, I once followed a pelican as it fished and found a school of nice-sized bass also feeding on the same minnows.
The flight of the pelican is a choreographed movement. The bird”s large wing surface area allows it to make just a few flaps, which propels it for several hundred yards. When in a flock pelicans usually fly in single file or in a v-shape formation. Their flight is often described as “follow the leader” because if the lead bird makes a dip all the other birds will make the same dip. When traveling long distances pelicans often use the thermal air currents and will rise several hundred feet in the air.
The big mystery is why the pelicans don”t nest at Clear Lake. They do spend the winter months here but leave for their nesting grounds in the spring. However, a few pelicans are year-around residents. According to the Department of Fish and Game (DFG), the closest nesting area is in the northeastern section of the state near the Klamath National Wildlife Refuge.
Getting close to a flock of pelicans requires patience and one of the best ways is to use a kayak or canoe. By approaching slowly and quietly you can usually get close enough to take some great photos. Flocks of pelicans can be found in the Lakeport area, near the Clear Lake State Park, Rodman Slough and near Long Tule Point. They can be seen resting on sandbars or feeding in the shallows.
The graceful pelicans are just one of several species of birds that visit Clear Lake and it proves that the lake has much more to offer than just fishing.
