Marion County Naturalist Marla Mertz tells KNIA/KRLS News that large groups of adult American white pelicans are coming in daily to the Red Rock area. The pelicans are one of the largest North American birds.

According to Mertz, the American White Pelican lineage suggests they are one of the oldest birds on earth. Fossil records show at least 30 million years.

Mertz tells KNIA/KRLS News, “Right now we’ve got a lot of adult pelicans moving in heading to their breeding grounds. We’ve got the turkey vultures that have returned in March kettles. Right now we’re seeing some shore birds, following through and some of the duck species.”

She added the end of April and beginning of May will be time for the most colorful “jungle birds,” to return, the scarlet tanager, summer tanager, orchard and Baltimore orioles, grosbeaks, and indigo buntings.