previously-oiled-brown-pelican-released
After August, Louisiana’s coast was declared clean enough for the birds to be released in their own state. Because it’s natural for young brown pelicans to fledge from islands, and because a majority of the rehabilitated pelicans were immature, they were released on islands in existing colonies with the hopes that they would learn fishing skills and other pelican behaviors from the mature adults. Brown pelicans are much like people, and they mimic the behaviors of their peers to fit in with the flock. Each release location was also evaluated for an adequate amount of food to be present in the area. Just as a precaution, LADWF also placed large amounts of sardines on the beach to get the brown pelicans started.