On the ground, the nests are built of feather and mounds of dirt. Pelicans lay 2 or 3 eggs, which are chalky white. Incubation lasts between 28 and 30 days. The young who are born in ground nests are able to walk out of the nest at about 35 days. Those whose nests are in trees do not leave the nests for about 63 to 88 days.
Pelicans live in flocks throughout the year.
When in flight, they tuck their long neck back and rest their head on their shoulders with the bill resting on the folded neck. In the 1960s and 1970s, populations of brown pelicans were reduced after DDT in fish caused their egg shells to become too thin for the young to survive. Populations of pelicans recovered a bit after DDT was banned. A sunny day on the beach at Redwood National Park near Orick. The pelicans and gulls congregated at the shore and allowed me to approach fairly close before they took off.