The brown pelican ( Pelecanus occidentalis) was taken off the endangered species list in 2009, for instance.
The brown pelican ( Pelecanus occidentalis) was taken off the endangered species list in 2009, for instance. This seabird is native to the coasts of North America and South America, as well as the islands of the Caribbean Sea. It is the state bird of the U.S. state of Louisiana. In 1970, the number of brown pelicans in the wild was estimated at 10,000. The bird was classified as vulnerable.