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American White Pelican Banding Project

Recently I got to tag along on a banding project spearheaded by The Feather Rehab Center in conjunction with the Butte des Morts Conservation Club .

This breeding colony is on Terrells Island on Lake Butte des Morts. Volunteers from the Feather banded the pelicans and the conservation club provided the boat to get to the islands and also granted permission for us to access the islands.

**UPDATE** On June 20th the Wisconsin DNR has ordered The Feather Rehab Center to cease pelican banding at Terrell's Island.
Sibling Rivalry
Sibling Rivalry		 Chicks are fed by regurgitation
Chicks are fed by regurgitation		 Chicks eventually leave the nest and join the pod
Chicks eventually leave the nest and join the "pod"		 Newborns & Infants
Newborns & Infants
Waiting for his buddies to hatch
Waiting for his buddies to hatch		 By the time they are 10 days old they are covered with white down
By the time they are 10 days old they are covered with white down		 Nest sites
Nest sites		 Pelican Pod ~ the ones in the front were not big enough for banding
Pelican Pod ~ the ones in the front were not big enough for banding
Mike Lawton, Don Baumgartner & Chuck Peeters band a pelican chick
Mike Lawton, Don Baumgartner & Chuck Peeters band a pelican chick		 Banding a pelican chick
Banding a pelican chick		 Catchin' some rays
Catchin' some rays		 Chuck Petters carries a pelican chick to the banding area
Chuck Petters carries a pelican chick to the banding area
Pelican Puker: a defense mechanism
Pelican Puker: a defense mechanism		 Applying a leg band to a pelican chick
Applying a leg band to a pelican chick		 Mike Lawton selects a chick for banding while Fisher keeps them from heading into the water
Mike Lawton selects a chick for banding while Fisher keeps them from heading into the water		 Fiesty chick~ some of the birds were more fiesty than others, but great care was taken to ensure the birds safety
Fiesty chick~ some of the birds were more fiesty than others, but great care was taken to ensure the birds safety
Brand spankin' new ~ when they hatch they are naked and orange
Brand spankin' new ~ when they hatch they are naked and orange		 Bustin' out ~ these 2 were in the process of hatching. You could hear peeping sounds coming from within the eggs.
Bustin' out ~ these 2 were in the process of hatching. You could hear peeping sounds coming from within the eggs.		 The chicks fledge when they are around 10 weeks old. This one will be awhile.
The chicks fledge when they are around 10 weeks old. This one will be awhile.		 Chuck & Fisher move a chick to the banding area
Chuck & Fisher move a chick to the banding area
Chicks are altricial, or helpless, after hatching.
Chicks are altricial, or helpless, after hatching.		 Adults incubate with their feet. The egg will hatch after about 30 days of incubation.
Adults incubate with their feet. The egg will hatch after about 30 days of incubation.		 The older ones are agressive to the younger siblings. Often the younger ones will not survive.
The older ones are agressive to the younger siblings. Often the younger ones will not survive.		 Don feels the love from a pelican chick
Don feels the love from a pelican chick
Pelican Rodeo
Pelican Rodeo		 Going in for the catch
Going in for the catch		 Gotcha!
Gotcha!		 Pelican Mosh Pit
Pelican Mosh Pit
Overall view of one of the islands
Overall view of one of the islands

comment | share
Renee Lockett19-Jan-2009 14:12
Tammie, what a blessing to see these amazing pictures!
Cheers from a fellow pelican enthusiast. :)
Kerry Tingley06-Jun-2008 04:15
What a wonderful project! We have them here also. I love to watch them.
Susanne v. Schroeder05-Jun-2008 11:26
Very interesting! Is this near where you live, Tammie? They certainly don't have much of a nest.
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