Pelicans, once an unusual site in northwest Alabama, have started to show up in greater numbers.
Floyd Sherrod, president of the Shoals Audubon Society, recalls a time about 30 years ago when a single pelican was spotted in the area and residents flocked to see it.
Now, he said, they've become increasingly common.
The TimesDaily reports that fishermen and bird watchers said several of the long-billed birds are frequently seen on the Tennessee River, particularly below Wilson Dam.
Tom Haggerty, chairman of the Department of Biology at the University of North Alabama, said bird counts show the population of the American white pelican is increasing.
He said the Christmas Bird Count and Breeding Bird Survey data indicate that continental populations have risen and the breeding range is expanding eastward.