The SCOOP on Pelicans, Port Arthur Spokesbird?
Pitching Pelicans as Unofficial Bird of Port Arthur
Golden Triangle Audubon Society members can scout Brown Pelicans at Sea Rim State Park, McFaddin Beach and on field trips to Bolivar Flats. Member Christine Sliva says this coastal bird is in our area year round and thinks it’s a fitting “spokesbird.”
Bird-lovers of the Port Arthur Convention & Visitors Bureau are officially pitching Brown Pelicans as the “unofficial” bird of Port Arthur. Remember, we are the OFFICIAL Cajun Capital of Texas, as noted by the state legislature. But we think a bird would be good, too. We asked our birdy friends for an appropriate choice. By the way, The Brown Pelican is the title of the Golden Triangle Audubon Society newsletter.
Pelican Pride from Area Birders
“My first thought is the Brown Pelican. It’s a cool bird, one of my favorites due to its prehistoric look. This bird is seen all along the coast of the Gulf of Mexico,” Sliva said.
Steve Mayes agrees these big birds have got it going on.
“I think Brown Pelican is a great choice. A coastal bird common in Port Arthur, big and charismatic. Be hard pressed to think of a better one,” he said.
GTAS’s Dania Sanchez says brown pelicans are like the citizens of Port Arthur, overcoming challenges and endurance. Pelican population declined in the 1970s because of DDT pesticide that is now banned. The numbers have recovered.
“Our local skies are covered in them and they are always astonishing as they glide onto the water. It’s always a treat to see,” she said.
Angling for Fish
Sabine Lake’s great fishing draws anglers catching trout, redfish and flounder. Pelicans are looking for fish, too. They dive for it. The National Audubon Society says our bird has a wingspan of 6-foot and 8 inches to 7-feet and 6 inches. That has Brown Pelicans weighing in at about 8 pounds. They flock and fish together and hang out at the beach. What’s not to love?
Pelican Primer
Author Jim Stevenson of the Galveston Ornithological Society says Brown Pelicans are very large, but are still the smallest pelican on earth. They’re marine birds, seldom seen in freshwater, so they love our Gulf of Mexico, the sea at the rim of Sea Rim State Park.
These are the national bird of several Caribbean Islands nations, Jim says, but we can share!
Pelicans are the state bird of Louisiana. Port Arthur is the Cajun Capital of Texas and our neighbor. This makes bird sense!
Pelican Symbolism & Lore
Team players, pelicans fish in groups and form community bonds. This big bird symbolizes focus and persistence with big style. In times of famine, a mother pelican may pierce her breast with her beak to feed her young with her own blood. This image is linked to symbolize Christ’s sacrifice for humanity. They are also mentioned in the Bible.
Psalms 102:6: “I am like a pelican of the wilderness; I am become as an owl of the waste places.”
A Plethora of Pelican Facts
There are several species of large, brown pelicans in the world and they all dive out of the air for their fish. White species swim and scoop their food, Stephens, publisher of Gulls n Herons newspaper, says. Pelicans nearly became extinct in the ’50s and ’60s in this area, but came back around.
- Pelicans use an expandable pouch to scoop in water with fish. The scoop doesn’t frighten the fish.
- Plunge diving stuns the fish.
- A “totipalmate” foot is where webbing connects to the hind toe.
- Brown Pelicans have air pockets in their breast feathers. It cushions the shock when they hit the water.
- The sinuous neck prevents damage while diving.
- Brown Pelicans flock more than almost any large bird.
White Pelicans
While we’re talking big birds, know the White Pelican is even larger than the Brown. They sport a 9-foot wingspan. These birds usually weigh from 11 to 30 pounds. Gleaming white feathers contrast with jet black ones. Find these fish-eaters in lakes, marshes and salt bays.
Brown ones go for mid-sized fish and some invertebrates. They love coastal beaches and lagoons.
What’s your vote?
Did we convince you that Brown Pelicans are valid ambassadors for Port Arthur? Come on down to Sea Rim State Park to scout your own flock and their shore bird friends. Sabine Woods is where the warblers and other spring migration visitors head to. Port Arthur is in the Central and Mississippi Flyways. Learn more about our birding sites and download your guide here. Come #birdportarthur and see for yourself!
