(FOX 2) - Cruising the waters around the DTE Power Plant in Monroe County, several pelicans were spotted hunting for fish below. After plunging their beaks into the water, they emerge with a mouth full of carp.
Video of them eating shows why they're effective hunters, using team work to locate fish before swallowing their catch whole.
It's an increasing sight among the wetlands of Michigan and the Great Lakes, which are quickly becoming popular migratory stops for one of the biggest birds to call North America home.
The reasons why are a mystery to those who have observed an increase in their numbers.
"We're not exactly sure why they're showing up," said Kylie McElrath, Michigan conservation manager with Audubon Great Lakes. "It's unusual but also not unusual since they can travel far to feed."
With a wingspan reaching around 10 feet and capable of traveling hundreds of miles a day, they can make the cross-country trip with relative ease.
Nesting grounds for American white pelicans have historically been U.S. and Canadian prairies, stretching as far east as western Minnesota. When it's time to migrate home, they'll spend the winter along the coasts of California and the Gulf of Mexico.
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Pelicans feed on carp at DTE plant
Pelicans are increasingly migrating to Michigan, a pattern that has those who study birds unsure about why. In Monroe County, several pelicans were seen feeding on carp near the DTE power plant. Video Courtesy of Coulter Stuart.
But in recent years, more pelicans have been flying further east.
The National Audubon Society has observed larger and larger groups of pelicans traveling to areas the group considers priority regions where coastal management is vital.
They include the Detroit River St. Clair flats region, the eastern Lake Michigan shoreline, The St. Mary's River and Straits of Mackinac, and Saginaw Bay.
Depending on the time of year, pelican sightings are almost a guarantee in spots like Pointe Mouillee State Game Area south of Lake Erie Metropark and Harsens Island in Lake St. Clair. Both are revered as popular migratory stops for birds.
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The arrival of a new species can portend uncertainty for local food webs and biological systems.
In the case of pelicans, much of their impact could be limited to the fish they eat - and according to McElrath, their diet won't be bothersome to anglers.
That means fish species like suckers and invasive carp like bighead and silver carp.
"They'll target species known as rough species or fish species that aren't as desirable as sport or commercial fishing," she said. "They are opportunistic and will feed on other species, but they mostly target those that are not targeted by others."
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