National Bird
of St.Kitts
Brown Pelican or Booby
The National Bird of
St. Kitts and Nevis is the Brown Pelican. Its scientific
name is Pelecanusoccidentalis, but is locally known
as a "Booby". In its youth,its head, neck
and upper parts of the body are brown in colour, and
mostly white below. As the bird matures, the majority
of the body becomes dark brown while the upper part
of the head turns white. During the post-nuptial molt
the adult's neck turns white.
The neck and head are not extended during flight.
Brown pelicans are sometimes solitary feeders, but
on occasion may also be found in small flocks as they
feed on schools of fish near the surface of the sea.
They can be found throughout the West Indies and in
the sub-tropical regions of the Americas. Their colonies
nest in low trees, and in bushes near the coast.
A Brown Pelican will usually lay 2-3 dull white eggs, between March and April, which will hatch 28-30 days later
Brown Pelican (Booby) Facts
| Diet: | Brown Pelicans live on fish; mostly the non-game species. |
| Habitat: | Prefer saltwater habitats |
| Size: | The wingspan of the Brown Pelican reaches up to 84 inches. |
