Summary
A brown pelican plunges into the ocean from 60 feet up. Deep Look shows the built-in air sacs, throat pouch, and body angle that cushion the crash and scoop up fish.
Viewer safety
Ages 7+Mild peril
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Teaching resources
Discussion questions
Talk about it
Hitting the water hard could hurt a bird, but the pelican has built-in cushions — air sacs under its skin — and a stretchy pouch to catch fish. Its body is built for the dive.
- What structures protect a pelican when it slams into the water?
- How does the pelican's pouch help it catch a meal?
- Why would diving from high up help a pelican reach fish?
Quick work-a-long
Vocabulary: air sac, pouch, cushion, dive.
Try it: Drop a ball onto a pillow and onto a table. Write how the pelican's air sacs work like the pillow.