American White Pelican Pelecanus erythrorhynchos. A Pair of American White Pelicans floating down the Yellowstone River. One takes a moment of opportunity to snatch a trout that just happened to come close to the surface. Information Length: 50 inches Wingspan: 110 inches Sexes similar Huge, white bird with black primaries and outer secondaries Flies with neck tucked. These birds are more buoyant than the Brown Pelicans and unlike their coastal counsins do not dive or plunge into the water for their food. They Feed while swimming in that they cooperate to surround fish in shallow water, scooping them into their pouches. They take in both water and fish, and then hold their bills vertically to drain out the water before swallowing the food. Because of pesticides, human disturbance, and the draining of wetlands, this species is in decline. The number of active colonies has dropped sharply in recent decades.