Ornithological biography, Vol. 4 (of 5) : $b An account of the habits of the birds of the United States of AmericaAudubon, John James
Science
Ornithological biography, Vol. 4 (of 5) : $b An account of the habits of the birds of the United States of America
Audubon, John James
Birds -- North America
become quite gentle. When wounded, they swim rather sluggishly, and do
not attempt to dive, or even to bite, like the Brown Pelicans, although
they are twice as large, and proportionally stronger. After being shot
at, they are perfectly silent, but when alighted they utter a hollow
guttural sound somewhat resembling that produced by blowing through the
bung-hole of a cask.
The White Pelicans appear almost inactive during the greater part
of the day, fishing only soon after sunrise, and again about an hour
before sunset; though at times the whole flock will mount high in the
air, and perform extended gyrations in the manner of the Hooping Crane,
Wood Ibis, and Vultures. These movements are probably performed for
the purpose of assisting their digestion, and of airing themselves,
in the higher and cooler regions of the atmosphere. Whilst on the
ground, they at times spread their wings to the breeze, or to the rays
of the sun; but this act is much more rarely performed by them than
by the Brown Pelicans. When walking, they seem exceedingly awkward,
and like many cowardly individuals of our own species, are apt to snap
at objects which they appear to know perfectly to be so far superior
to them as to disdain taking notice of them. Their usual manner of
flight is precisely similar to that of our Brown species. It is said
by authors that the White Pelican can alight on trees; but I have never
seen a single instance of its doing so. I am of opinion that the ridge
projecting from the upper mandible increases in size as the bird grows
older, and that it uses that apparatus as a means of defence or of
attack, when engaged with its rivals in the love-season.
The number of small fishes destroyed by a single bird of this species
may appear to you, as it did to me, quite extraordinary. While I was
at General HERNANDEZ’s plantation in East Florida, one of them chanced
to pass close over the house of my generous host, and was brought dead
to the ground. It was not a mature bird, but apparently about eighteen
months old. On opening it, we found in its stomach several hundreds of
fishes, of the size of what are usually called minnows. Among the many
which I have at different times examined, I never found one containing
fishes as large as those commonly swallowed by the Brown species,
which, in my opinion, is more likely to secure a large fish by plunging
upon it from on wing, than a bird which must swim after its prey.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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