* Food: Pelicans are piscivores, meaning that they primarily eat fish. In the colder months, many of the fish that pelicans eat migrate to warmer waters, so the pelicans must follow them in order to find enough food.
* Weather: Pelicans are not well-adapted to cold weather. They have long beaks and necks that can easily lose heat, and their feet are not webbed, so they do not swim as well in cold water. As a result, pelicans migrate to warmer climates in the winter.
* Breeding: Some pelicans also migrate to breeding grounds in the spring and summer. These breeding grounds are often located in shallow waters with plenty of fish, which is ideal for raising young pelicans.
The specific migration patterns of pelicans vary depending on the species. Some pelicans, such as the great white pelican, migrate long distances from their breeding grounds to their wintering grounds. Others, such as the brown pelican, only migrate short distances or are even year-round residents in some areas.