Community
Pelicans drop in
Local fisherman Basilio Christian feedsthe visiting pelicans
The Immigration Department should not haveany problems with these visitors to Grand Cayman - that is, fourpelicans that have recently migrated to the island and seem tohave taken up residence around George Town habour.
More specifically these pelicans have perched near a good sourceof food, which most local residents refer to as the "Fishon the Rocks".
Local fishermen noticed the birds two to three weeks ago in Northside,South Sound and George Town and say they are a welcome part ofthe scenery.
"We don't see too many of them around here, but they ain'tno hurt. We enjoy feeding them," said local fisherman, BasilioChristian.
Fred Burton, the Environmental Programme Director at the CaymanIslands National Trust said: "Having pelicans drop in fromtime to time is not outlandishly unusual, but I think it is cool.
"They probably stopped in from Jamaica or Cuba for a shortperiod of time. We really don't have rich enough feeding groundsfor them to stay," he explained.
He noted that last year a pelican and manatee were seen in Northside,but the pelican was 'whacked' and later died as a result.
Pelicans are among the largest of all flying birds. They are highlyadapted for swimming and flying, and prefer coastal waters. TheAmerican White Pelican, which appears to be the specie now visitingGrand Cayman, are usually about 49-64 inches in size.
Source - A Guide to the Birds of the West Indies by Herbert Raffaele,James Wiley, Orlando Garrido, Allan Keith and Janis Raffaele.