North Dakota Becomes a Refuge to 30,000 American White Pelicans

Breeding season has finally arrived and an estimated number of 30,000 American white pelicans returned to a guano-rich island in south central North Dakota to nest. The nesting site is deemed to be the largest refuge site for these birds in North America according to the Federal Fish and Wildlife Service.

The way of the pelican

Chase Lake National Wildlife Refuge is the place where these majestic birds spend their time to breed and raise their young throughout the season. The 4,385-acre refuge site has been home to lots of wildlife since former U.S. President Theodore Roosevelt declared it as a protected area in 1908. In 2000, it was determined that around 35,466 birds stayed at the site. The pelicans typically settle along the Gulf Coast in winter season. There are times when these birds fly as far away south as California and Florida.

American white pelicans have been noted to settle in North Dakota through September and the succeeding months. These are the months when they raise their young and nourish them with an abundant food supply, which is available within the100-mile radius of Chase Lake.

Increasing in numbers

Scientists closely monitor the number of birds that come back and nest in the refuge site year after year. In 2012, an aerial count was initiated and a total of 31,534 breeding adults were noted that year. The numbers were a huge improvement from 2011 with only a total of 20,854 birds present.

According to Neil Shook, refugee manager and biologist of Fish and Wildlife Service stated that a total of 15,000 nests are currently present based on the most recent aerial count. Shook estimated that each nest comprised two adults. This prompted him to arrive at the conclusion that a total of 30,000 birds came to the refuge this year. In a statement given by Shook, he commented that the number of pelicans that returned this year was a little short compared to that of last year but it is still well beyond the long term average count that he expected.

Preserving wildlife

Considered one of the largest birds in North America, the American white pelican is about 6 feet when measured from bill to tail. It weighs about 20 pounds on average and has a wingspan close to 10 feet. This type of bird has a lifespan of about 25 years.

Since 1905, pelicans have been closely observed at Chase Lake. These birds were hunted for their feathers and for sport which gradually decreased their numbers in the wild. Chase Lake has been declared as a bird refuge site in 1908 by Roosevelt when the numbers of the birds fell down to 50.

In 2004, there was an incident when tens of thousands of pelicans suddenly left Chase Lake with no comprehensible reason. Chicks and eggs were left behind resulting to a massive decrease in the pelican population. Some factors like weather, diseases and predators where considered by biologists but no direct and sure cause was attributed to the phenomenon.

Caption: American white pelican