Brown Pelican Pelecanus occidentalis Linnaeus, 1766S1B (Highly state rare breeder)    Synonyms: BRPE, Pelecanus occidentalis carolinensis.
Kingdom Animalia   >   Phylum Chordata   >   Class Aves   >   Order Pelecaniformes   >   Family Pelecanidae   >   Genus Pelecanus   

Status:

A modern conservation success story with increasing numbers in our area. Very rare away from the immediate coast or Chesapeake Bay. First western Maryland record was found on 9/20/2018 at Deep Creek Lake a few days after Hurricane Florence (C. Blizzard).

There are 293 records in the project database.

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A Brown Pelican nesting on a discarded crab pot that had washed ashore on a remote area of Smith Island, Somerset Co., Maryland (5/21/2017). Photo by Chris Jewett. (MBP list)

Brown Pelicans roosting near the Bay Bridge in Anne Arundel Co., Maryland (12/4/2016). Part of an unprecedented irruption into the upper Chesapeake Bay in late 2016. Photo by Emily Carter Mitchell. (MBP list)

A Brown Pelican in flight in Somerset Co., Maryland (5/21/2017). Photo by Chris Jewett. (MBP list)

Brown Pelicans in Anne Arundel Co., Maryland (11/9/2012). Photo by Dan Haas. (MBP list)

A Brown Pelican in Anne Arundel Co., Maryland (11/9/2012). Photo by Dan Haas. (MBP list)

A first-year Brown Pelican at Point Lookout in St. Mary's Co., Maryland (9/17/2006). Photo by Bill Hubick. (MBP list)(More of this species)

A Brown Pelican in Cecil Co., Maryland (11/9/2018). Photo by Mark Johnson. (MBP list)

A Brown Pelican in Worcester Co., Maryland (8/18/2015). Photo by Mark Johnson. (MBP list)

A Brown Pelican in winter in St. Mary's Co., Maryland (1/6/2016). Photo by Andy Connelly. (MBP list)

A Brown Pelican in Anne Arundel Co., Maryland (11/18/2016). Photo by Emily Carter Mitchell. (MBP list)

Brown Pelicans on a Chesapeake Bay island in Dorchester Co., Maryland (7/31/2012). Photo by Kerry Wixted. (MBP list)

Brown Pelicans off Point Lookout SP in St. Mary's Co., Maryland (9/27/2014). Photo by Jim Stasz. (MBP list)

A Brown Pelican with prey in Somerset Co., Maryland (4/24/2014). Photo by Danny Poet. (MBP list)

Young Brown Pelicans on a Chesapeake Bay island in Dorchester Co., Maryland (7/31/2012). Photo by Kerry Wixted. (MBP list)

Brown Pelican in Somerset Co., Maryland (8/23/2022). (c) hd101, some rights reserved (CC BY-NC). Photo by hd101 via iNaturalist. (MBP list)

Brown Pelican eggs on a Chesapeake Bay island in Dorchester Co., Maryland (7/31/2012). Photo by Kerry Wixted. (MBP list)

Brown Pelican in Garrett Co., Maryland (10/7/2018). (c) Kyle Klotz, all rights reserved. Photo by Kyle Klotz. (MBP list)

Brown Pelicans in St. Mary's Co., Maryland (8/28/2017). Photo by Jim Stasz. (MBP list)

A Brown Pelican in Frederick Co., Maryland (8/11/2020). Photo by Kurt Schwarz. (MBP list)

A Brown Pelican below the Conowingo Dam in Harford Co., Maryland (11/30/2014). Photo by Josh Emm. (MBP list)

A Brown Pelican in Dorchester Co., Maryland (7/27/2013). Photo by Lori Byrne. (MBP list)

A Brown Pelican in Harford Co., Maryland (5/23/2018). Photo by Josh Emm. (MBP list)

A Brown Pelican in Carroll Co., Maryland (10/15/1981). Photo by Jim Stasz. (MBP list)

Brown Pelicans nesting on Bodkin Island in Queen Anne's Co., Maryland (6/23/1999). Photo by Jim Stasz. (MBP list)


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