This Brown Pelican is visiting the Fort Randall Dam area near Pickstown. There have only been seven sightings of the Brown Pelican in South Dakota. They normally live along the southern and western sea coasts are rarely seen inland. They feed by plunge-diving from high up, using the force of impact to stun small fish before scooping them up in their pouch. During their dive, the Brown Pelican tucks its head and rotates its body to the left. This maneuver is probably to cushion their trachea and esophogus - which are found on the right side of their neck - from the impact. The oldest Brown Pelican on record was 43 years of age. Photo by Barb Pechous