California brown pelicans usually nest and hatch chicks in Southern California and Mexico. But in the
past two years, scientists have seen them building nests much farther north on an island in the Columbia River.

The unusual nesting behavior follows a northward shift in the birds’ migratory patterns over the past
three decades, according to Oregon State University seabird ecologist Dan Roby. He noted that a
similar pelican species has also been moving north and expanding its breeding range on the East Coast,
which suggests it could be linked to climate change.

“I think we can expect it to continue, and it’s probably linked to global climate change because quite
a few birds are shifting their range farther and farther north as the climate warms,” he said.