Pennsylvania may have Punxsautawney Phil the groundhog to tell them whether spring is coming, but Ogden Nature Center has Einstein the American White Pelican.See that bump on Einstein's bill? That means spring is on its way! That bump, or "keel," emerges every spring on pelicans' bills, signaling the start of breeding season. By the end of June, Einstein's beak bump will fall off. Come next February, he'll grow a new one.
The white pelican doesn't plunge or dive into the water to catch fish, like its cousin the brown pelican. The white pelican scoops up water and fish with its bill while swimming on the water's surface. Sometimes, groups of pelicans will work together to "herd" fish, and then eat their fill. The mesh-like membrane under the bill can hold up to three gallons of water! Pelicans tip their bills to let the water run out like a sieve, and the fish ... well, you know what happens to those. Down the hatch!
