BotB IV: Pelicans, Anhinga, Cormorants & Gannets
- Pelicans, Anhinga, Cormorants & Gannets
- Families:Pelecanidae (Pelicans), Anhingadae (Anhingas), Phalacrocoracidae (Cormorants), Sulidae (Gannets & Boobies), Fregatidae (Frigatebirds)
- # of Species: 14
- Species Seen / Photographed: 8 / 8
The Pelecaniformes are probably the most diverse group on this list, encompassing 5 families of distinct birds. The whole group consists of fish-eating birds who live and spend a majority of their time in or around water, across the United States. I’ve been lucky enough to see a large number of them although I’ve yet to have a quantifiable ID of any of those in Sulidae yet.
Pelicans
I get to see Brown Pelicans every year in NC flying over my parents beach house — and yet it’s still hard to get a really killer shot (at least one that I find to be killer). White Pelicans are less common – I have to head much further south to see them. But either one is very cool – these huge, lumbering tanks of birds flying low over the waves, wing tips just barely touching.
Anhinga
Anhinga are a rare bird for me – I’ve only seen them in Florida and Texas, and only had a single change to photograph them – not my best work.
Cormorants
Cormorants are a frequent visitor to NJ, so I’ve had lots of chances to see Double-crested and Great Cormorants, the latter usually hanging out at Barnegat in winter. I had never realized how common the double-crested cormorant was until I started birding in earnest and realized that they are pretty much anywhere there’s a decent-sized river, lake or coastline.
A visit to Texas got me a chance to see the Neotropic Cormorant handing out at Estero Llano State Park, actually within a few yards of the place where I saw the Anhinga pictured above.
My trip to California with my friends Patty & Al Bruno gave me awesome sightings of Brandt’s Cormorants nesting along the Monterey pier, as well as their great locating of the beautiful Pelagic Cormorant right below my feet at the Monterey Aquarium.
Gannets & Boobies
I’m fairly sure that I’ve seen Gannets at the Jersey shore, particularly at Barnegat Lighthouse, but never had an absolutely confirmed sighting – until I went to Cape May the other day. There I got to see them in several places and finally had them fly close enough for some decent pictures.
Frigatebirds
Nope, sorry – never seen one.
For many of those remaining on my list, I’m going to have to make it to Florida again, especially the keys…