Postcard of Brown Pelican (Pelecanus occidentalis) North America Wildlife The brown pelican soars over the water is search of fish. Once the fish is spotted, the pelican plunges from heights of up to 30 feet to capture the fish in its expandable pouch. Though the pelican’s history dates back at least 30 million years, it was threatened with extinction in the 1970s because of DDT pollution in the fish it eats. The ban of DDT has improved the brown pelican’s chance of survival. Photographer- Birds as Art/Arthur Morris Postcard size 4 x 6  Get Your Here!.