Injured pelican released after months of Calgary Wildlife care

An injured pelican is back in the wilderness after being nursed back to health by Calgary Wildlife.

The American white pelican—known for its long curved beak, thick throat pouch, and wingspan reaching up to nine feet—was found at Calgary airport in October, thin, mildly dehydrated, and weak. Wildlife staff brought the bird into care at the organization's northwest facility on October 20.

The pelican arrived with a ruptured air sac, injuries to its left wing, foot lesions, and a severe infestation of blood-sucking lice inside its mouth and pouch. The lice infestation made eating excruciating.

Staff treated the bird in an isolation ward. Executive Director Beki Hunt said, "Once that was all cleared up, she really started eating well, putting on weight, and we were able to move her to a secondary space, which had nice sand for her to walk on."

When staff realized the pelican had missed its migration window, they moved her to the organization's flight pen where she could spread her wings and practice flying until her flock returned. After seven months of care, the bird was released to join returning pelicans in the region.

"When we have these successful releases, regardless of the animal and species... It's like a warm hug for the team looking after the animals," Hunt said. The recovery highlights the often-invisible work of animal rehabilitation—the daily cage cleaning and care that precedes celebrated releases.