brown pelican
noun
: a pelican (Pelecanus occidentalis) of American coasts that has a brownish body and a chiefly white or white with yellow head
Examples of brown pelican in a Sentence
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The sight of brown pelicans diving headfirst into the ocean in pursuit of a meal represents one of the distinctive visual images of the California coast, their dramatic flight the highlight of a predatory mission.
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Jorge L. Ortiz, USA Today, 30 Apr. 2025
Louisiana restored a bird island, home to brown pelicans, herons and gulls.
—Mark Strassmann, CBS News, 28 Apr. 2025
The brown pelican, whose wingspan measures seven feet, is beloved for its soaring flight and dramatic capture of prey, with a headfirst dive in the water from great heights.
—Lisa M. Krieger, The Mercury News, 29 May 2024
This isn’t the first time California’s brown pelican populations have experienced health emergencies.
—Christian Thorsberg, Smithsonian Magazine, 15 May 2024
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Jorge L. Ortiz, USA Today, 30 Apr. 2025
Louisiana restored a bird island, home to brown pelicans, herons and gulls.
—Mark Strassmann, CBS News, 28 Apr. 2025
The brown pelican, whose wingspan measures seven feet, is beloved for its soaring flight and dramatic capture of prey, with a headfirst dive in the water from great heights.
—Lisa M. Krieger, The Mercury News, 29 May 2024
This isn’t the first time California’s brown pelican populations have experienced health emergencies.
—Christian Thorsberg, Smithsonian Magazine, 15 May 2024
See All Example Sentences for brown pelican
Cite this Entry
“Brown pelican.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/brown%20pelican. Accessed 25 May. 2025.
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