• Summary
• Text account
• Data table and detailed info
• Map
• Reference and further resources

Site description (2001 baseline)
Pelican Lake is located at the eastern end of the Wabasca Lakes chain, 21 km east of the town of Sandy Lake, in northern Alberta. Pelican Lake is a permanent boreal lake that is surrounded by boggy wetlands. Two islands within the lake host breeding birds. The lake is situated in a relatively remote location.

Key biodiversity
A globally significant number of American White Pelicans breed on two islands within Pelican Lake. In 1998, 2,108 young and in 2000, 1,660 young were recorded in the colony. Since pelicans lay a two-egg clutch, these numbers translate to a minimum of 1,054 and 830 pairs. These are minimum estimates because it assumes that all birds successfully hatched two young. This number of pairs is probably about 1% of the global population of the species, and the colony is the second largest in the province. The pelicans use nearby lakes, such as Sandy Lake, north and south Wabasca lakes and others to the west for feeding.

Several other colonial waterbird species breed on the islands. In both 1998 and 2000 there were just over 1,000 Double-crested Cormorant nests on the islands. This is one of largest cormorant colonies in the province. In 1967, the California Gull population at Pelican Lake was estimated at 100-500 pairs, and in 2000, 297 nests were counted. In recent years between about 80 and 200 Ring-billed Gull and 35 Common Tern nests were recorded.

In 1978, 57 Great Blue Heron nests were built in the trees, but since then many of the trees have died and fallen down from accumulations of droppings and bird trampling. Herons have been absent since at least 1998 because of this.

---

Recommended citation
BirdLife International (2024) Important Bird Area factsheet: Pelican Lake (Alberta) (Canada). Downloaded from https://datazone.birdlife.org/site/factsheet/pelican-lake-(alberta)-iba-canada on 22/12/2024.