Brown pelicans are recognizable for their long necks and stretchy throat pouches that they use to collect fish. To hunt, they fly high above the ocean to scope out potential prey, then plunge into the water to scoop up small fish. Brown pelicans are well-recognized regulars at beaches and fishing docks (especially near fish cleaning tables where fishers filet their catch). They have yellow heads, long white necks and gray-brown bodies.

Brown pelicans are very social and will congregate in large flocks for much of the year—the more the merrier! They can be clumsy on land, so they prefer to spend their time in the air, making it easy to spot fish to eat. When brown pelicans fly together, they can form either a “V” or straight line.