Every day at 5:00 P.M. for the past 23 years, “The Pelican Man” shows up at Kingscote Wharf on Kangaroo Island and so do the pelicans. The pelicans don’t need a clock to tell them when to show up, they just know. About 10 minutes before 5:00 P.M the pelicans start to come to the wharf and at almost 5:00 you would think that someone had rung the pelican dinner bell because they start flying in by the dozens.

Before the pelican man arrive, the pelicans know exactly where he will be coming from and they watch for him until he shows up.

After the pelican man shows up with their food, the pelicans circle around him and wait until he stops talking and telling all of the visitors about the Australian Pelicans.

But once the food is starts to be distributed, it turns into a free for all. It is every pelican for themselves!

These pelicans are mostly very patient but for some pelicans the wait is too much to stand. It just seems like this guy is going to talk forever. So, one aggressive pelican decided that he would take matters into his own and dive right into the food box and take what he could get.

It turns out that a pelican can scoop up a lot of fish with one dive into the food box and there is no such thing as savoring your food for a pelican because it is bottoms up and down it goes.

Attending the pelican feeding was a lot of fun. The pelicans don’t mind people being close because they came for the food and they will be there until all the food is gone. The “Pelican Man” is entertaining and he makes feeding the pelicans a fun experience. There is no formal charge for watching the show but he does ask for a $5.00 donation for his cost and his time.

Disclaimer: There will also be several seagulls hanging around for leftovers and it is advisable to keep an eye out for seagulls flying overhead! Things can get a little messy!

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6 thoughts on “The Pelican Man – Australia”

  1. This is the best one ever. Thanks Looking forward for you all to stop by.

    1. Thanks! I will let you know when we can come to Corpus Christi.

  2. Very beautiful photos. You captured good shots. I like the 2nd photo the most. The last three also very good moments.

    1. Thanks May! I try to see the entire story when I photograph an event.

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