A Brown Pelican preening with its long, distinctive bill. Photo Jeff Wells

A very large, dark-bodied bird, unmistakable with its long bill and gular pouch. Watch for them sitting on pilings and zooming along the beach in front of your resort. You'll probably see them feeding, too, plunging into the sea from the air, then rising with their pouch full of sea water and, if successful, fish. Non-breeding plumage shows a white neck, and immatures are all dark with a white belly.