Florida Brown Pelican

Today's Pelican photographs also come from the Indian River inlet in Melbourne, Florida on Christmas Eve. The Brown Pelican is the smallest of the eight species of pelican, although it is a large bird in nearly every other regard. It is 42-54 inches in length, weighs from 6-12 lb and has a wingspan from 6 to 8.2 ft.

This pelican is distinguished from the American White White by its brown body and its habit of diving for fish from the air, as opposed to co-operative fishing from the surface. It eats mainly herring-like fish. Groups of Brown Pelicans often travel in single file, flying low over the water's surface.

The Brown Pelican is the state bird of Louisiana.