The brown pelican is a bird of the pelican family, Pelecanidae, one of three species found in the Americas and one of two that feed by diving into water. It is found on the Atlantic Coast from New Jersey to the mouth of the Amazon River, and along the Pacific Coast from British Columbia to northern Chile, including the Galapagos Islands. The nominate subspecies in its breeding plumage has a white head with a yellowish wash on the crown. The nape and neck are dark maroon–brown. The upper sides of the neck have white lines along the base of the gular pouch, and the lower fore neck has a pale yellowish patch. The male and female are similar, but the female is slightly smaller. The nonbreeding adult has a white head and neck. The pink skin around the eyes becomes dull and gray in the nonbreeding season. It lacks any red hue, and the pouch is strongly olivaceous ochre-tinged and the legs are olivaceous gray to blackish-gray. Source: Wikipedia
Citation:
Linnaeus, C 1766
Reference:
Systema Naturae ed. 12, vol. 1, part 1
Protonym:
Pelecanus occidentalis
Type locality:
Jamaica, from first citation.
Link:
https://www.biodiversitylibrary.org/item/137337#page/219/mode/1up
Avibase ID:
F59AB6B357BF97D8
Avibase ID:
avibase-F59AB6B3
Short link:
https://avibase.ca/F59AB6B3
Taxonomic Serial Number:
TSN: 174685
Geographic range:
Authorities recognizing this taxonomic concept:
American Ornithologists' Union 7th edition (incl. 49th suppl.): Brown Pelican ( Pelecanus occidentalis) |
American Ornithologists' Union 7th edition (incl. 50th suppl.): Brown Pelican ( Pelecanus occidentalis) |
American Ornithologists' Union 7th edition (incl. 51st suppl.): Brown Pelican ( Pelecanus occidentalis) |
American Ornithologists' Union 7th edition (incl. 52nd suppl.): Brown Pelican ( Pelecanus occidentalis) |
American Ornithologists' Union 7th edition (incl. 53rd suppl.): Brown Pelican ( Pelecanus occidentalis) |
American Ornithologists' Union 7th edition (incl. 54th suppl.): Brown Pelican ( Pelecanus occidentalis) |
American Ornithologists' Union 7th edition (incl. 55th suppl.): Brown Pelican ( Pelecanus occidentalis) |
American Ornithologists' Union 7th edition (incl. 56th suppl.): Brown Pelican ( Pelecanus occidentalis) |
American Ornithologists' Union 7th edition (incl. 57th suppl.): Brown Pelican ( Pelecanus occidentalis) |
American Ornithologists' Society 7th edition (incl. 58th suppl.): Brown Pelican ( Pelecanus occidentalis) |
American Ornithologists' Society 7th edition (incl. 59th suppl.): Brown Pelican ( Pelecanus occidentalis) |
American Ornithologists' Society 7th edition (incl. 60th suppl.): Brown Pelican ( Pelecanus occidentalis) |
American Ornithologists' Society 7th edition (incl. 61st suppl.): Brown Pelican ( Pelecanus occidentalis) |
American Ornithologists' Society 7th edition (incl. 61st suppl. and addendum): Brown Pelican ( Pelecanus occidentalis) |
American Ornithologists' Society 7th edition (incl. 62nd suppl.): Brown Pelican ( Pelecanus occidentalis) |
American Ornithologists' Society 7th edition (incl. 63rd suppl.): Brown Pelican ( Pelecanus occidentalis) |
American Ornithologists' Society 7th edition (incl. 64th suppl.): Brown Pelican ( Pelecanus occidentalis) |
American Ornithologists' Society 7th edition (incl. 65th suppl.): Brown Pelican ( Pelecanus occidentalis) |
Avibase taxonomic concepts (current): Brown Pelican ( Pelecanus occidentalis) [version 1] |
Avibase taxonomic concepts v. 2023 (May 2023): Brown Pelican ( Pelecanus occidentalis) [version 1] |
Avibase taxonomic concepts v. 2024 (Oct 2024): Brown Pelican ( Pelecanus occidentalis) [version 1] |
Avibase taxonomic concepts v. 01 (August 2013): Brown Pelican ( Pelecanus occidentalis) [version 1] |
Avibase taxonomic concepts v. 02 (May 2014): Brown Pelican ( Pelecanus occidentalis) [version 1] |
Avibase taxonomic concepts v. 03 (March 2015): Brown Pelican ( Pelecanus occidentalis) [version 1] |
Avibase taxonomic concepts v. 04 (Aug 2016): Brown Pelican ( Pelecanus occidentalis) [version 1] |
Avibase taxonomic concepts v. 05 (Jan 2017): Brown Pelican ( Pelecanus occidentalis) [version 1] |
Avibase taxonomic concepts v. 06 (Feb 2018): Brown Pelican ( Pelecanus occidentalis) [version 1] |
Avibase taxonomic concepts v. 07 (Feb 2020): Brown Pelican ( Pelecanus occidentalis) [version 1] |
Avibase taxonomic concepts v. 08 (Feb 2021): Brown Pelican ( Pelecanus occidentalis) [version 1] |
Birdlife checklist version 01: Brown Pelican ( Pelecanus occidentalis) [version 1] |
Birdlife checklist version 02: Brown Pelican ( Pelecanus occidentalis) [version 1] |
Birdlife checklist version 03: Brown Pelican ( Pelecanus occidentalis) [version 1] |
Birdlife checklist version 04: Brown Pelican ( Pelecanus occidentalis) [version 1] |
Birdlife checklist version 05 (Jun 2012): Brown Pelican ( Pelecanus occidentalis) [version 1] |
Birdlife checklist version 05.1 (Oct 2012): Brown Pelican ( Pelecanus occidentalis) [version 1] |
Birdlife checklist version 06 (Nov 2013): Brown Pelican ( Pelecanus occidentalis) [version 1] |
Birdlife checklist version 06.1 (Feb 2014): Brown Pelican ( Pelecanus occidentalis) [version 1] |
Birdlife checklist version 07 (Jul 2014): Brown Pelican ( Pelecanus occidentalis) [version 1] |
Birdlife checklist version 08 (Oct 2015): Brown Pelican ( Pelecanus occidentalis) [version 1] |
Birdlife checklist version 09 (Dec 2016): Brown Pelican ( Pelecanus occidentalis) [version 1] |
Birdlife checklist version 09.1 (Jun 2017): Brown Pelican ( Pelecanus occidentalis) [version 1] |
HBW and BirdLife Taxonomic Checklist v2 (Dec 2017): Brown Pelican ( Pelecanus occidentalis) [version 1] |
HBW and BirdLife Taxonomic Checklist v3 (Nov 2018): Brown Pelican ( Pelecanus occidentalis) [version 1] |
HBW and BirdLife Taxonomic Checklist v4 (Dec 2019): Brown Pelican ( Pelecanus occidentalis) [version 1] |
HBW and BirdLife Taxonomic Checklist v5 (Dec 2020): Brown Pelican ( Pelecanus occidentalis) [version 1] |
HBW and BirdLife Taxonomic Checklist v6 (Dec 2021): Brown Pelican ( Pelecanus occidentalis) [version 1] |
HBW and BirdLife Taxonomic Checklist v6b (Jul 2022): Brown Pelican ( Pelecanus occidentalis) [version 1] |
HBW and BirdLife Taxonomic Checklist v7 (Dec 2022): Brown Pelican ( Pelecanus occidentalis) [version 1] |
HBW and BirdLife Taxonomic Checklist v8 (Dec 2023): Brown Pelican ( Pelecanus occidentalis) [version 1] |
HBW and BirdLife Taxonomic Checklist v9 (Oct 2024): Brown Pelican ( Pelecanus occidentalis) [version 1] |
Commission internationale pour les noms français des oiseaux (1993, révision 2009): Pélican brun ( Pelecanus occidentalis) [version 1] |
Commission internationale pour les noms français des oiseaux (1993): Pélican brun ( Pelecanus occidentalis) [version 1] |
Clements 1st edition: Brown Pelican ( Pelecanus occidentalis) [version 1] |
Clements, version 2021: Brown Pelican ( Pelecanus occidentalis) [version 1] |
Clements, version 2022: Brown Pelican ( Pelecanus occidentalis) [version 1] |
Clements, version 2023: Brown Pelican ( Pelecanus occidentalis) [version 1] |
Clements, version 2024: Brown Pelican ( Pelecanus occidentalis) [version 1] |
Clements 3rd edition: Brown Pelican ( Pelecanus occidentalis) [version 1] |
Clements 4th edition: Brown Pelican ( Pelecanus occidentalis) [version 1] |
Clements 5th edition (as published): Brown Pelican ( Pelecanus occidentalis) [version 1] |
Clements 5th edition (incl. 2000 revisions): Brown Pelican ( Pelecanus occidentalis) [version 1] |
Clements 5th edition (incl. 2001 revisions): Brown Pelican ( Pelecanus occidentalis) [version 1] |
Clements 5th edition (incl. 2002 revisions): Brown Pelican ( Pelecanus occidentalis) [version 1] |
Clements 5th edition (incl. 2003 revisions): Brown Pelican ( Pelecanus occidentalis) [version 1] |
Clements 5th edition (incl. 2004 revisions): Brown Pelican ( Pelecanus occidentalis) [version 1] |
Clements 5th edition (incl. 2005 revisions): Brown Pelican ( Pelecanus occidentalis) [version 1] |
Clements 6th edition: Brown Pelican ( Pelecanus occidentalis) [version 1] |
Clements 6th edition (incl. 2007 revisions): Brown Pelican ( Pelecanus occidentalis) [version 1] |
Clements 6th edition (incl. 2008 revisions): Brown Pelican ( Pelecanus occidentalis) [version 1] |
Clements 6th edition (incl. 2009 revisions): Brown Pelican ( Pelecanus occidentalis) [version 1] |
Clements 6th edition (version 6.5 incl. 2010 revisions): Brown Pelican ( Pelecanus occidentalis) [version 1] |
Clements 6th edition (version 6.6 incl. 2011 revisions): Brown Pelican ( Pelecanus occidentalis) [version 1] |
Clements 6th edition (version 6.7 incl. 2012 revisions): Brown Pelican ( Pelecanus occidentalis) [version 1] |
Clements 6th edition (version 6.8 incl. 2013 revisions): Brown Pelican ( Pelecanus occidentalis) [version 1] |
Clements 6th edition (version 6.9 incl. 2014 revisions): Brown Pelican ( Pelecanus occidentalis) [version 1] |
Clements, version 2015: Brown Pelican ( Pelecanus occidentalis) [version 1] |
Clements, version 2016: Brown Pelican ( Pelecanus occidentalis) [version 1] |
Clements, version 2017: Brown Pelican ( Pelecanus occidentalis) [version 1] |
Clements, version 2018: Brown Pelican ( Pelecanus occidentalis) [version 1] |
Clements, version 2019: Brown Pelican ( Pelecanus occidentalis) [version 1] |
eBird version 1.50: Brown Pelican ( Pelecanus occidentalis) [version 1] |
eBird version 1.52: Brown Pelican ( Pelecanus occidentalis) [version 1] |
eBird version 1.53: Brown Pelican ( Pelecanus occidentalis) [version 1] |
eBird version 1.54: Brown Pelican ( Pelecanus occidentalis) [version 1] |
eBird version 1.55: Brown Pelican ( Pelecanus occidentalis) [version 1] |
eBird version 2015: Brown Pelican ( Pelecanus occidentalis) [version 1] |
eBird version 2016: Brown Pelican ( Pelecanus occidentalis) [version 1] |
eBird version 2017: Brown Pelican ( Pelecanus occidentalis) [version 1] |
eBird version 2018: Brown Pelican ( Pelecanus occidentalis) [version 1] |
eBird version 2019: Brown Pelican ( Pelecanus occidentalis) [version 1] |
eBird version 2021: Brown Pelican ( Pelecanus occidentalis) [version 1] |
eBird version 2022: Brown Pelican ( Pelecanus occidentalis) [version 1] |
eBird version 2023: Brown Pelican ( Pelecanus occidentalis) [version 1] |
eBird version 2024: Brown Pelican ( Pelecanus occidentalis) [version 1] |
Howard and Moore 4th edition (vol. 1-2): Brown Pelican ( Pelecanus occidentalis) [version 1] |
Howard and Moore 4th edition (incl. corrigenda vol.1-2): Brown Pelican ( Pelecanus occidentalis) [version 1] |
Handbook of the Birds of the World Alive (31/01/2015): Brown Pelican ( Pelecanus occidentalis) [version 1] |
Handbook of the Birds of the World Alive (03/07/2017): Brown Pelican ( Pelecanus occidentalis) [version 1] |
Handbook of the Birds of the World and Birdlife (Dec 2017): Brown Pelican ( Pelecanus occidentalis) [version 1] |
Handbook of the Birds of the World and Birdlife (Dec 2018): Brown Pelican ( Pelecanus occidentalis) [version 1] |
IOC World Bird Names, version 1.0: Brown Pelican ( Pelecanus occidentalis) [version 1] |
IOC World Bird Names, version 1.1: Brown Pelican ( Pelecanus occidentalis) [version 1] |
IOC World Bird Names, version 1.5: Brown Pelican ( Pelecanus occidentalis) [version 1] |
IOC World Bird Names, version 1.6: Brown Pelican ( Pelecanus occidentalis) [version 1] |
IOC World Bird Names, version 1.7: Brown Pelican ( Pelecanus occidentalis) [version 1] |
IOC World Bird Names, version 2.0: Brown Pelican ( Pelecanus occidentalis) [version 1] |
IOC World Bird Names, version 2.1: Brown Pelican ( Pelecanus occidentalis) [version 1] |
IOC World Bird Names, version 2.2: Brown Pelican ( Pelecanus occidentalis) [version 1] |
IOC World Bird Names, version 2.3: Brown Pelican ( Pelecanus occidentalis) [version 1] |
IOC World Bird Names, version 2.4: Brown Pelican ( Pelecanus occidentalis) [version 1] |
IOC World Bird Names, version 2.5: Brown Pelican ( Pelecanus occidentalis) [version 1] |
IOC World Bird Names, version 2.6: Brown Pelican ( Pelecanus occidentalis) [version 1] |
IOC World Bird Names, version 2.7: Brown Pelican ( Pelecanus occidentalis) [version 1] |
IOC World Bird Names, version 2.8: Brown Pelican ( Pelecanus occidentalis) [version 1] |
IOC World Bird Names, version 2.9: Brown Pelican ( Pelecanus occidentalis) [version 1] |
IOC World Bird Names, version 2.10: Brown Pelican ( Pelecanus occidentalis) [version 1] |
IOC World Bird Names, version 2.11: Brown Pelican ( Pelecanus occidentalis) [version 1] |
IOC World Bird Names, version 3.1: Brown Pelican ( Pelecanus occidentalis) [version 1] |
IOC World Bird Names, version 3.2: Brown Pelican ( Pelecanus occidentalis) [version 1] |
IOC World Bird Names, version 3.3: Brown Pelican ( Pelecanus occidentalis) [version 1] |
IOC World Bird Names, version 3.4: Brown Pelican ( Pelecanus occidentalis) [version 1] |
IOC World Bird Names, version 3.5: Brown Pelican ( Pelecanus occidentalis) [version 1] |
IOC World Bird Names, version 4.1: Brown Pelican ( Pelecanus occidentalis) [version 1] |
IOC World Bird Names, version 4.2: Brown Pelican ( Pelecanus occidentalis) [version 1] |
IOC World Bird Names, version 4.3: Brown Pelican ( Pelecanus occidentalis) [version 1] |
IOC World Bird Names, version 4.4: Brown Pelican ( Pelecanus occidentalis) [version 1] |
IOC World Bird Names, version 5.1: Brown Pelican ( Pelecanus occidentalis) [version 1] |
IOC World Bird Names, version 5.2: Brown Pelican ( Pelecanus occidentalis) [version 1] |
IOC World Bird Names, version 5.3: Brown Pelican ( Pelecanus occidentalis) [version 1] |
IOC World Bird Names, version 5.4: Brown Pelican ( Pelecanus occidentalis) [version 1] |
IOC World Bird Names, version 6.1: Brown Pelican ( Pelecanus occidentalis) [version 1] |
IOC World Bird Names, version 6.2: Brown Pelican ( Pelecanus occidentalis) [version 1] |
IOC World Bird Names, version 6.3: Brown Pelican ( Pelecanus occidentalis) [version 1] |
IOC World Bird Names, version 6.4: Brown Pelican ( Pelecanus occidentalis) [version 1] |
IOC World Bird Names, version 7.1: Brown Pelican ( Pelecanus occidentalis) [version 1] |
IOC World Bird Names, version 7.2: Brown Pelican ( Pelecanus occidentalis) [version 1] |
IOC World Bird Names, version 7.3: Brown Pelican ( Pelecanus occidentalis) [version 1] |
IOC World Bird Names, version 8.1: Brown Pelican ( Pelecanus occidentalis) [version 1] |
IOC World Bird Names, version 8.2: Brown Pelican ( Pelecanus occidentalis) [version 1] |
IOC World Bird Names, version 9.1: Brown Pelican ( Pelecanus occidentalis) [version 1] |
IOC World Bird Names, version 9.2: Brown Pelican ( Pelecanus occidentalis) [version 1] |
IOC World Bird Names, version 10.1: Brown Pelican ( Pelecanus occidentalis) [version 1] |
IOC World Bird Names, version 10.2: Brown Pelican ( Pelecanus occidentalis) [version 1] |
IOC World Bird Names, version 11.1: Brown Pelican ( Pelecanus occidentalis) [version 1] |
IOC World Bird Names, version 11.2: Brown Pelican ( Pelecanus occidentalis) [version 1] |
IOC World Bird Names, version 12.1: Brown Pelican ( Pelecanus occidentalis) [version 1] |
IOC World Bird Names, version 12.2: Brown Pelican ( Pelecanus occidentalis) [version 1] |
IOC World Bird Names, version 13.1: Brown Pelican ( Pelecanus occidentalis) [version 1] |
IOC World Bird Names, version 13.2: Brown Pelican ( Pelecanus occidentalis) [version 1] |
IOC World Bird Names, version 14.1: Brown Pelican ( Pelecanus occidentalis) [version 1] |
IOC World Bird Names, version 14.2: Brown Pelican ( Pelecanus occidentalis) [version 1] |
Sibley and Monroe (1993): Brown Pelican ( Pelecanus occidentalis) [version 1] |
Sibley and Monroe (1993, including corrections up to 1998): Brown Pelican ( Pelecanus occidentalis) [version 1] |
Sibley and Monroe, Birds of the World Version 2.0: Brown Pelican ( Pelecanus occidentalis) [version 1] |
South American Classification Committee (26/09/2007): Brown Pelican ( Pelecanus occidentalis) [version 1] |
South American Classification Committee (01/05/2008): Brown Pelican ( Pelecanus occidentalis) [version 1] |
South American Classification Committee (30/09/2009): Brown Pelican ( Pelecanus occidentalis) [version 1] |
South American Classification Committee (19/08/2010): Brown Pelican ( Pelecanus occidentalis) [version 1] |
South American Classification Committee (8/08/2011): Brown Pelican ( Pelecanus occidentalis) [version 1] |
South American Classification Committee (8/02/2012): Brown Pelican ( Pelecanus occidentalis) [version 1] |
South American Classification Committee (4/09/2012): Brown Pelican ( Pelecanus occidentalis) [version 1] |
South American Classification Committee (17/03/2013): Brown Pelican ( Pelecanus occidentalis) [version 1] |
South American Classification Committee (9/02/2014): Brown Pelican ( Pelecanus occidentalis) [version 1] |
South American Classification Committee (16/02/2015): Brown Pelican ( Pelecanus occidentalis) [version 1] |
South American Classification Committee (28/07/2016): Brown Pelican ( Pelecanus occidentalis) [version 1] |
South American Classification Committee (22/04/2017): Brown Pelican ( Pelecanus occidentalis) [version 1] |
South American Classification Committee (4/06/2018): Brown Pelican ( Pelecanus occidentalis) [version 1] |
South American Classification Committee (6/06/2019): Brown Pelican ( Pelecanus occidentalis) [version 1] |
South American Classification Committee (20/02/2020): Brown Pelican ( Pelecanus occidentalis) [version 1] |
South American Classification Committee (8/06/2020): Brown Pelican ( Pelecanus occidentalis) [version 1] |
South American Classification Committee (24/08/2021): Brown Pelican ( Pelecanus occidentalis) [version 1] |
South American Classification Committee (24/07/2022): Brown Pelican ( Pelecanus occidentalis) [version 1] |
South American Classification Committee (28/09/2023): Brown Pelican ( Pelecanus occidentalis) [version 1] |
South American Classification Committee (27/07/2024): Brown Pelican ( Pelecanus occidentalis) [version 1] |
Zoonomen - Zoological Nomenclature Resource: Pelecanus occidentalis [version 1] |
Taxonomic status:
Species status: full species (sometimes nominal subspecies)
This taxon is considered a subspecies of
Pelecanus [occidentalis or thagus]
(sensu lato) by some authors
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Other synonyms
See also the taxonomic synonyms table.
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