Like ghosts, the American White Pelicans swoop in and blanket the University Lakes during the colder months, seeking refuge from the north’s bitter weather.
People around the lakes took notice in November as the usually flat bodies of water filled with clusters of the large birds, but they are silently disappearing just as quickly as they arrived.
The pelicans come from the north to rest in southern areas during the winter months, according to the Cornell Lab of Ornithology website. With spring quickly approaching, so is the end to their stay on the LSU lakes.
These birds migrate not because of the season, but because of resource availability, said James Klarevas, LSU biology alumnus, who volunteered in the ornithology program during his studies.
The birds are not traveling south to breed, so most of the resources they need here are food, Klarevas said. The lakes offer a spot for the pelicans to dine on smaller fish and possibly the breeding ground of some larger fish.