DE PERE, WI (WTAQ-WLUK) – They’re big, they’re bright, and they’re back.
American White Pelicans have been spotted in the area, and experts say the migration is a little early this year.
For the past week or so, the big white birds have been familiar sights at places like the De Pere Riverwalk and Wildlife Viewing Pier on the Fox River.
“As the fish start piling up, the bait fish and the food supply starts piling up so do the birds, and they really kind of take advantage of that dam stopping up some of that movement, and hunt in their groups,” said Steve Lakatos, Bay Beach Wildlife Sanctuary Superintendent.
Lakatos tells FOX 11 the pelicans work as a team, bobbing together in the surf, before attacking the fish from the surface. He says the pelicans nest north of the Fox River mouth in places like the Cat Island Chain in the waters of Green Bay. There are an estimated 2,500 nesting pairs in the area, which is up from 2,400 a few years ago. He says cleaning the environment, and restoring habitat are getting results.
“These are one of the species that really are a success story, and coming back in big numbers.”
Back on the river walk, Matt Frinak, his wife Talia, and young son Connor, checked out the pelicans Monday.
“They’re kind of cool to look at. There’s a lot of them, They seem to come back every spring, and head out every fall,” said Matt Frinak, Green Bay.
“We kind of thought we’d come out here and like see the fishing, then we knew there would be pelicans out here. So we thought maybe he’d like to come and see them, because he’s never seen them before,” said Talia Frinak, Green Bay.
American White Pelicans have been seen in other areas, including the Lake Winnebago System, and the Horicon Marsh.
The birds typically migrate in November.
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