brown pelican

noun

: a pelican (Pelecanus occidentalis) of American coasts that has a brownish body and a chiefly white or white with yellow head

Examples of brown pelican in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
This week, hundreds of brown pelicans, California gulls and sandpipers rested along the shoreline as waves rolled in. — Paul Rogers, Mercury News, 13 Aug. 2026 Look out for brown pelicans, tricolor herons, reddish egrets, wood storks, and many other unique species. — Elizabeth Rhodes, Travel + Leisure, 23 June 2026 Fall through spring is the best time to see migratory white pelicans and nesting brown pelicans. — Usa Today Network, USA Today, 10 June 2026 Furthermore, the very fish populations that brown pelicans depend on are harmed by the pollution. — Shannon Book, San Diego Union-Tribune, 12 May 2026 See All Example Sentences for brown pelican

Word History

First Known Use

1780, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of brown pelican was in 1780

Browse Nearby Words

brown patch
brown pelican
brown pine
See all Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Brown pelican.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/brown%20pelican. Accessed 14 Aug. 2026.

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