By IL Radio Network
Southern Illinois – A bird rarely seen in Southern Illinois is now showing up by the hundreds.
The bird is the American White Pelican and hundreds are passing through Crab Orchard Lake between Carbondale and Marion, says Dan Frisk, manager of the Crab Orchard National Wildlife Refuge.
The birds are big, with wingspans around nine feet. They're white with black wings and large orange bills. Frisk says the pelicans eat fish from the lake.
He says the pelicans have spent the winter along the Gulf of Mexico and are on their way to the Dakotas for breeding.
The birds can be found in the shallow areas along the shore and in the bays of Crab Orchard Lake. A good place to see them is on Route 148 as it crosses the lake. They are expected to be in the area until early May.
