Video provided by Dale Davis.

By Lilli Dwyer
InkFree News

NORTH WEBSTER — It’s not often the American White Pelican migrates to this neck of the woods, but locals around Webster Lake have noticed their home becoming a stop on the route this year.

Residents report the pelicans have been a presence around the lake for about two weeks now.

“They seem to have taken over that island,” said resident Dale Davis, referring to Lake Webster’s Breeck Island, colloquially known as the island with the “ketchup and mustard cabins.”

“I’ve seen them several times out there on Webster. Not in this number, though, there’s a lot of them out there, the most I’ve ever seen at one time,” Indiana Conservation Officer Nick Vandermolen stated.

Vandermolen is unsure of the exact number, estimating, “definitely over 50, in the past I’ve seen them in groups of maybe 10 to 20.”

Resident Jodi Sautter estimates the pelicans’ numbers at “well over 100.” Sautter and her husband, Ted, are frequent birdwatchers and spotted migrating pelicans on the lake in March 2022, but noted they hadn’t seen any for a few years before that.

“They were here a few years ago after not being here for a long time. … They’re spending more time in this area than usual. It’s usually a matter of days, but it’s been at least two weeks this time,” she said.

Like other water fowl, pelicans are protected under the Migratory Bird Act. According to the National Audubon Society, they are one of the largest birds in North America, with a wingspan of 9 feet.

“They’re big eaters,” said Sautter. “I believe they need four pounds of food a day to sustain them.”

Indiana State Ornithologist Allisyn Gillet had some insight as to why pelicans are stopping at area lakes more often. Pelicans spend their winter, from October to March, in warmer climates along the Gulf of Mexico. At this time of year, they’re making stops on the way to their breeding grounds.

“Their breeding grounds are typically further north of us. Oftentimes they’re actually really seen in the west, so you’ll get them more breeding in Canada, but they’ll breed in the Dakotas as well. They’re more seen as a western species, but recently they’ve been expanding their breeding range further to the east, more along the Great Lakes area,” Gillet explained.

In this case, she elaborated, “recently,” means in the past decade.

It’s been suggested the pelicans might be changing their routes due to disappearing habitat, but Gillet doesn’t agree. “They’ve been realizing there’s the Great Lakes area that they can take advantage of when it comes to finding appropriate places to nest. And so, we’re getting them more often in Wisconsin, starting to breed with other water birds,” she said.

Migrating pelicans are a regular site at the Goose Pond Fish & Wildlife Area in Bloomington, where Gillet is based. They usually appear there earlier in March. The birds congregating on Webster Lake right now are “further along in their journey.”

“I think they’re beautiful birds,” Gillet went on. “I think it’s wonderful to see them, especially during migration, just because the seasons are changing and to me it’s another sign of the oncoming spring. I really enjoy being able to experience those specific points in time.”