Kansas City, Mo. – Gaze into a blue sky in spring and fall and you may see a flock of large, white birds flying in a V-shaped formation. They are not geese, but rather, they are American white pelicans, a most interesting water bird and among the largest migrating birds. The Missouri Department of Conservation (MDC) will offer a free March of the Pelicans program from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. on Saturday, March 16, at the Anita B. Gorman Discovery Center in Kansas City.

The pelicans are more common in western Missouri than the eastern regions. They overwinter in southern states and then travel to northern states and Canada to breed and nest. They can often be seen in flocks resting and feeding at MDC conservation areas with lakes and wetlands, such as the Cooley Lake Conservation Area with an oxbow wetland in Clay County.

Discovery Center’s March of the Pelicans is designed for visitors ages 6 and older. Children can make a crafty pelican hatband to take home. To learn more about American white pelicans, visit http://short.mdc.mo.gov/47b.

For more information about the Gorman Discovery Center, visit https://mdc.mo.gov/discoverycenter.