2 Types of Pelicans in Maryland

The easiest difference is color: brown pelicans are dark gray and brown with a white head in adults, while American white pelicans are all white with black wing tips and an enormous orange-yellow bill. Size is another clue; white pelicans are noticeably larger and bulkier, weighing up to 15 pounds compared to the brown pelican's 6 to 8 pounds. Behavior differs too. Brown pelicans are coastal and dive from the air, often hunting alone or in loose groups. White pelicans are freshwater birds that feed by swimming in coordinated flocks. If you are at Ocean City or Assateague and see a pelican diving into the ocean, it is a brown pelican. If you see a huge white bird with a massive bill at a freshwater lake or bay, report it; it will likely be a white pelican and newsworthy for a local birding group.

Brown pelicans have established nesting colonies on low islands in the Chesapeake Bay, marking a return to Maryland waters after decades of absence. The nests are simple stick structures placed on low vegetation or bare ground. These colonies are protected by law, and most islands are off-limits to the public during breeding season to avoid disturbing the birds. You can see nesting birds from a distance at certain tour operators and viewing locations, particularly around Assateague Island and the bay proper. July and early August are peak nesting months; if you visit then, you may see adult pelicans returning with food for their chicks or see young birds learning to fly.

No pelican species lives year-round in Maryland. Brown pelicans are present primarily from late spring through early fall, with peak numbers from July through September. Some birds may linger into October, but they depart when water temperatures drop and fish become harder to find. American white pelicans never remain in Maryland; they pass through during migration. This means if you want to see pelicans, you must plan your visit for late spring, summer, or early fall, with the best odds in July and August when brown pelicans are feeding actively and tending to their young.

Brown pelicans vanished from the Atlantic coast in the mid-1900s because of DDT pesticide use, which thinned eggshells and caused breeding failure. The birds were endangered. When DDT was banned in 1972 and other protections followed, brown pelicans began to recover. Their population grew, especially in the Carolinas, and over the past 20 years, they have expanded their summer range northward into Virginia, Delaware, and Maryland. Today, the Chesapeake Bay provides excellent habitat: shallow waters, abundant fish, and protected islands for nesting. The species is now listed as recovered and removed from the federal endangered species list, though it remains protected by state law.

Most pelican nesting islands in the Chesapeake Bay are closed to the public during breeding season (April through September) to prevent disturbance. The birds are sensitive to human presence, and stepping on an island can cause adults to flee, exposing eggs and chicks to predators and heat. Some managed tour operators hold permits to approach certain areas safely, and you can sometimes view nesting activity from charter boats at a respectful distance. After the breeding season ends and birds begin to depart in fall, some islands may be accessible again, but check with the Maryland Department of Natural Resources or the refuge managing the area before planning a visit.

Brown pelicans are specialist fish hunters that target species 4 to 8 inches long, primarily anchovies, silversides, and mullet. In the Chesapeake Bay and coastal waters off Maryland, they feed opportunistically on whatever small fish schools are available and accessible from the surface. Their diving plunge technique allows them to catch fish at depths up to 60 feet. American white pelicans, when present, prefer freshwater fish like carp and suckers in lakes and are less selective than their brown cousins. The availability of prey fish directly affects when and where pelicans concentrate; areas with high fish density, such as shallow bay channels and river mouths, attract more pelicans.

Young brown pelicans look very different from adults and can cause confusion if you are not familiar with them. Juveniles have a dull silvery-tan or grayish-brown body overall, with little to no white on the head or neck. They lack the sharp color contrast of adults and appear more uniformly dull. First-year birds may show some patching of white and brown as they gain plumage. Over 2 to 3 years, young pelicans gradually acquire the adult pattern of white head and dark body. If you spot a dingy, tan-and-brown pelican along the Maryland coast, it is likely a young bird of the year or a first-year bird. This knowledge helps prevent misidentification as a different species entirely.

Brown pelicans eat an estimated 1 to 1.5 pounds of fish per day, meaning a growing colony of hundreds of birds can consume significant tonnage. However, they target small schooling fish that are not commercially valuable and that thrive in the high-productivity waters of the Chesapeake Bay. Fisheries studies suggest pelican predation is minor compared to larger forces like commercial fishing and habitat loss. Their return is viewed by most scientists and managers as a sign of ecosystem recovery rather than as a problem. The bay has enough prey fish to support both the recovering pelican population and commercial and recreational fishing.

Brown pelican nests are almost always placed on islands, in low scrub vegetation, or on bare ground, not in trees like many other wading birds. This ground-nesting strategy makes them vulnerable to predators and storm surge, which is why most active nesting in Maryland occurs on protected bay islands that are managed specifically for breeding birds. On rare occasions, birds may nest on floating platforms or other structures, but the preference is for low islands where they can easily spot and defend against threats. The Chesapeake Bay provides ideal island habitat, which explains why the species re-established itself there once the population began to recover.

Two pelican species have ever been documented in Maryland: the brown pelican and the American white pelican. A third species, the American white pelican, is the only other regular visitor. The peruvian pelican, brown pelican's closest South American relative, has never been recorded in Maryland. The Australian pelican and other Old World species have no North American range. When birders report a pelican in Maryland, it is always one of the two species covered in this guide. If you see what looks like an unusual pelican, check it carefully against descriptions of white pelicans, as confusion with an unusual individual is more likely than the appearance of a new species to the state.