Photo provided by Rita Erkkila An American White Pelican is spotted on Bear Lake, taking a rest during a long migration from the southern U.S. to western Canada.

HOUGHTON — A rare pelican sighting took place on Apr. 19. Rita Erkkila and her husband were out walking their dog at McClain State Park.

“We were walking the dog this morning on Bear Lake trail at McClain park,” she said. “My husband thought it was a swan. We saw the long beak and I looked it up and it is one of eight species of pelicans. It was just floating and fishing along. Exciting to see!”

DNR Deputy Public Information Officer John Pepin viewed the photo.

“It is an American White Pelican,” Pepin confirmed. “In the winter time, they’re down in the Gulf Coast, and in the summertime they come north to breed. They can come to Minnesota or even further north to some Canadian provinces west of Ontario.”

A pelican in northern Michigan is not out of the question.

“During migration, they can end up in some weird areas, as well as the southwest half of upper Michigan,” Pepin said. “To have one at McClain’s State Park is somewhat out of its migration pattern.”

While rare, an American White Pelican this far north is not unheard of.

“It’s not super rare. It’s the first sighting I’ve heard of this year. There will be some flying over in migration, but whether or not they’ll be seen or if they’ll stop like this one did is hard to say,” Pepin said.

Pelicans do not usually travel alone.

“This bird was by itself, but most of the time they migrate in small groups,” he said. “They’re actually one of the few bird types, like Canada Geese, that fly in ‘V’ formation.”

Though the first sighting this year, it was not the first pelican sighting in the Copper Country.

“Every spring there are at least a handful of sightings in our area,” Pepin revealed.

While passing the Great Lakes, migrating pelicans help themselves to the bountiful fish populations. Pelicans migrate based on the amount of daylight, and less in accordance with fish breeding seasons, Pepin noted.

Pepin used some distinct features to reveal more about the visitor.

“It’s an adult in breeding season,” he said. “You can tell it’s an adult because it has a big bump on its bill, which is called a plate.”

Copper Country bird enthusiasts should not expect to see fledgling pelicans.

“Pelicans go further north for nesting,” Pepin said. “They go north in the summer and south in the wintertime. For our area, and much of the United States, we’re part of the migration pass over area.”

The Copper Country is not the final destination on the pelican’s journey. Pelicans may be visible again in the fall on their migration back south to parts of Texas, Louisiana, and Mexico.

Pelicans are usually depicted as being oceanic coastal birds, which is true for brown pelicans.

“There are two kinds of pelicans in North America,” Pepin explained. “There are white pelicans and brown pelicans. Brown pelicans are strictly coastal.”

A brown pelican in the Copper Country would be unheard of.