{"id":116734,"date":"2023-10-04T04:26:23","date_gmt":"2023-10-04T10:26:23","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/?p=116734"},"modified":"2023-10-27T02:54:38","modified_gmt":"2023-10-27T08:54:38","slug":"american-white-pelicans-fueling-up-for-fall-migration","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/2023\/10\/04\/american-white-pelicans-fueling-up-for-fall-migration\/","title":{"rendered":"American White Pelicans Fueling Up For Fall Migration"},"content":{"rendered":"

Last week, I was happy to photograph a small flock of American White Pelicans fueling up for their fall migration in the wetlands of Farmington Bay WMA.<\/p>\n

\"AutumnAutumn American White Pelicans at Farmington Bay \u2013 Nikon D500, f8, 1\/2500, ISO 500, Nikkor 500mm VR with 1.4x TC, natural light<\/span><\/p>\n

The pelicans were cooperative feeding. Cooperative feeding is a behavior observed in American white pelicans where groups of pelicans work together to herd small schooling fish into a dense ball or toward shallow water, making it difficult for the fish to escape<\/span>.<\/p>\n

Some researchers have observed that smaller groups of pelicans, typically ranging from two to six individuals, are the most successful at catching prey using this cooperative herding behavior<\/span>\u00b9<\/span>.<\/span><\/p>\n

\"AmericanAmerican White Pelicans fueling up for migration \u2013 Nikon D500, f10, 1\/2000, ISO 500, -0.7 EV, Nikkor 500mm VR with 1.4x TC, natural light<\/span><\/p>\n

When American White Pelicans are feeding in this manner, I am mesmerized. In my mind it is something like a slow, graceful ballet of foraging pelicans. Of course, I stop to take photos, and I certainly enjoy my time with them.<\/p>\n

\"FallFall American White Pelicans in Farmington Bay’s wetlands \u2013 Nikon D500, f10, 1\/2500, ISO 500, -0.7 EV, Nikkor 500mm VR with 1.4x TC, natural light<\/p>\n

Watching the pelicans through my lens at the wetlands of Farmington Bay WMA was a fascinating experience.<\/p>\n

Note:<\/strong> Brown Pelicans do not use the cooperative feeding method. Instead, Brown pelicans engage in plunge diving, which is also interesting to observe.<\/p>\n

\"FeedingFeeding American White Pelicans in fall \u2013 Nikon D500, f10, 1\/2000, ISO 500, -0.7 EV, Nikkor 500mm VR with 1.4x TC, natural light<\/span><\/p>\n

Although I see American White Pelicans in the marshes surrounding the Great Salt Lake as late as December and as early as January, most of them migrate to warmer wintering grounds. Many of those that remain in northern Utah are preparing for their fall migration. I always miss these magnificent white pelicans when they’re away.<\/p>\n

Life is<\/em> good.<\/p>\n

Mia<\/p>\n

Click here<\/span><\/a> to see more of my American White Pelican photos plus facts and information about this species.<\/p>\n

\u00b9 Cooperative Herding Catches More\u00a0Food<\/span><\/span><\/a><\/span><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Last week, I was happy to photograph a small flock of American White Pelicans fueling up for their fall migration in the wetlands of Farmington Bay WMA.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":116731,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"jetpack_post_was_ever_published":false,"_jetpack_newsletter_access":"","_jetpack_dont_email_post_to_subs":false,"_jetpack_newsletter_tier_id":0,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paywalled_content":false,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paid_content":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[3,27,1022,697,26],"tags":[4004,3966,970,4366,2393,4620,5290,4040,4136,14405,4094,530,4154,4,706,3996,4095],"class_list":["post-116734","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-white-pelicans","category-avian","category-davis-county-utah","category-farmington-bay-wma","category-utah","tag-adult","tag-american-white-pelican","tag-autumn","tag-cattails","tag-cooperative-feeding","tag-fall","tag-fall-migration","tag-feeding","tag-foraging","tag-fueling-up","tag-marsh","tag-migration","tag-pelecanus-erythrorhynchos","tag-pelican","tag-pelicans","tag-water","tag-wetlands"],"aioseo_notices":[],"jetpack_featured_media_url":"https:\/\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/10\/american-white-pelicans-autumn-feeding-mia-mcpherson-1613.jpg","jetpack_shortlink":"https:\/\/wp.me\/p11Mom-umO","jetpack_sharing_enabled":true,"jetpack-related-posts":[{"id":106588,"url":"https:\/\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/2022\/09\/29\/american-white-pelican-reflections\/","url_meta":{"origin":116734,"position":0},"title":"American White Pelican Reflections","author":"Mia McPherson","date":"September 29, 2022","format":false,"excerpt":"Two days ago, as the sun first flooded the marshes with light, I was at Farmington Bay WMA photographing two American White Pelicans float on the water.","rel":"","context":"In "American White Pelicans"","block_context":{"text":"American White Pelicans","link":"https:\/\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/category\/avian\/pelicans\/white-pelicans\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"American White Pelican reflections, Farmington Bay WMA, Davis County, Utah","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/09\/american-white-pelican-reflections-mia-mcpherson-7234.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/09\/american-white-pelican-reflections-mia-mcpherson-7234.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1 1x, 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Pelicans","link":"https:\/\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/category\/avian\/pelicans\/white-pelicans\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"American White Pelicans, Farmington Bay WMA, Davis County, Utah","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/09\/american-white-pelicans-feeding-mia-mcpherson-8153.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/09\/american-white-pelicans-feeding-mia-mcpherson-8153.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/09\/american-white-pelicans-feeding-mia-mcpherson-8153.jpg?resize=525%2C300&ssl=1 1.5x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/09\/american-white-pelicans-feeding-mia-mcpherson-8153.jpg?resize=700%2C400&ssl=1 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Pelicans – Helping Birds by Helping the PELI Project","author":"Mia McPherson","date":"April 13, 2018","format":false,"excerpt":"I know that I will be reporting any wing tagged American White Pelicans I see while they are here in northern Utah and I hope that others will too and help out the Peli Project!","rel":"","context":"In "American White Pelicans"","block_context":{"text":"American White Pelicans","link":"https:\/\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/category\/avian\/pelicans\/white-pelicans\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"American White Pelicans, Farmington Bay WMA, Davis County, Utah","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/09\/american-white-pelicans-feeding-mia-mcpherson-8153.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/09\/american-white-pelicans-feeding-mia-mcpherson-8153.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1 1x, 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