Watch the Pelicans at Chambers Grove

Each spring, a colony of American white pelicans migrating from Mexico and the southeastern United States gathers at a stretch of the St. Louis River near Chambers Grove Park in Duluth to rest and feed before continuing north to Canada. And where the big birds flock so do curious humans; this annual pit stop draws birders from around the region.

American white pelicans are built for such international flights. Adult white pelicans have a wingspan up to 9½ feet, and the caruncle on the bills of both males and females—an ornamental knob thought to attract the ideal breeding partner—sort of looks like nature’s airplane fin. These long-haul fliers nearly disappeared from Minnesota in the early 1900s due to habitat loss and harassment from misinformed anglers, who would shoot the birds to prevent them from eating fish. Thankfully, conservation efforts led to the pelican’s recovery in Minnesota in the 1960s.

During my latest visit to view the Chambers Grove pelicans, I sat on the shore and snapped a few photos. My shoes were soaked by the end of the excursion, as I tried to get as close to the birds as possible short of wading in the water.

I’m of course not alone in my appreciation of the American white pelican. “It’s just a species which is incredibly graceful in flight,” says retired DNR Nongame Wildlife Program leader Carrol Henderson. “It’s interesting to watch and something that people can enjoy as another one of our wildlife species that has recovered.” 

Plan Your Visit

• Chambers Grove Park is in the Fond du Lac neighborhood of south Duluth at 13404 State Highway 23. The park is free to visit and has hiking and mountain bike trails, a playground and grills, and restrooms. 
• Pelicans don’t adhere to a strict schedule, so it’s impossible to know the exact date of their arrival to Chambers Grove, though they typically arrive in mid-April and stay for about a month. Check Cornell University’s eBird website and app to stay up to date on the latest pelican developments in the area. 
• Bring a pair of binoculars or a spotting scope, as pelicans like to keep their distance from humans.

Other Activities in the Area

• Hawk Ridge Bird Observatory, another birding hotspot in Duluth, offers a variety of birds to marvel at depending on when you visit. Eagles are typically the first to arrive at the observatory en masse, flying over in late March, followed by various hawk species in April and May. 
• Jay Cooke State Park is located just west of Chambers Grove, with 50 miles of hiking trails as well as campgrounds.
• The St. Louis River Estuary National Water Trail is friendly to kayakers and canoeists of all experience levels.