American White Pelicans hunt the summer shallows

The water off Fairview holds the warmth of the longest days. Light penetrates deeper into the estuary now, and the shallow edges shimmer with the movement of small fish drawn to these sun-warmed margins. If you are inside, step out into this brightness. The air carries the salt and kelp scent of productive waters.

American White Pelicans have arrived early in these coastal waters, their massive white forms unmistakable as they work the shallows. These are among the largest birds in North America, with nine-foot wingspans that cast substantial shadows on the water below. Unlike their brown cousins, white pelicans do not dive. Instead, they swim at the surface, dipping their enormous bills to scoop fish from the water column. Their bills can hold more than three gallons, and they tip their heads back to drain the water before swallowing their catch. The timing of their arrival here coincides with peak nesting season elsewhere, suggesting these are likely non-breeding birds or individuals whose nesting attempts have concluded.

The pelicans often hunt cooperatively, forming loose lines that drive schools of small fish into the shallows where escape becomes impossible. They move with surprising coordination for such large birds, their necks extending and retracting in a rhythm that herds prey toward the shore. The warming water has triggered abundant hatches of aquatic insects, which in turn support dense populations of juvenile salmon, herring, and other small fish. These fish concentrate near the surface to feed on emerging insects, making them accessible to the pelicans' surface-feeding technique. Great Blue Herons work these same waters but employ a different strategy, standing motionless in the shallows and striking with lightning precision. The pelicans' approach is more methodical, more social, covering larger areas through collective effort.

Double-crested Cormorants also fish these waters, but they dive beneath the surface to pursue prey, occupying a different layer of the same productive ecosystem. The pelicans' surface feeding allows them to exploit the seasonal abundance without competing directly with the diving birds below. Their early arrival takes advantage of this summer peak, when long daylight hours and warm water temperatures create optimal conditions for both fish and the insects they feed on. The estuary becomes a layered hunting ground, with each species of piscivorous bird accessing different parts of the water column.

Listen for the soft splash as a pelican's bill breaks the surface tension. The water closes behind it with barely a ripple, and somewhere in the shallows near you, small fish move just beneath the brightness.