American white pelicans spotted on water in northwest Chicago suburbs
CHICAGO (CBS) -- A curious sight grabbed people's attention in McHenry County on Friday – in the form of a group of pelicans.
More than half a dozen American white pelicans were spotted looking for lunch on the water in Johnsburg.
The American white pelican migrates back north around this time of year – and it is not uncommon for a flock to make a stop in the Chicago area.
"This is very common for this time of year," said Cody Hickman, director of avian air conservation at Brookfield Zoo Chicago. "You'll see a lot of migratory birds using the Chicago area as kind of a pit stop for food – kind of to rest, get some food. You'll see them in ponds, lakes. We get calls of people seeing them in their local ponds around their community."
These pelicans are different from the brown pelicans that are commonly seen in southern coastal areas in the U.S. – and that inspire the name of the NBA basketball team in New Orleans. Both brown and white pelicans can be found in states such as Florida and Louisiana – but brown pelicans do not migrate, while white pelicans do.
After spending the winter in the Gulf Coast, white pelicans find their way up to North and South Dakota, and the Canadian province of Manitoba, where they breed, Hickman explained.
"You'll start seeing them about early March, and you won't see as many about May, June, because they'll be where they want to breed," Hickman said.
For the purpose of finding food, the Chicago area makes for a pretty good place to stop for white pelicans, Hickman explained.
"They're a very big bird, and they burn a lot of calories – so anywhere where they can find food, that's where they're at," he said.
Hickman said pelicans will eat any kind of fish they can find. They will gather in groups of maybe five or six, look for fish together, and then all start diving for food.
