Pelican spotted in Smith Mountain Lake area

SMITH MOUNTAIN LAKE – A pelican has been spotted on Smith Mountain Lake for the first time. 

Sabrina Garvin, executive director of the Southwest Virginia Wildlife Center, said she believes the pelican was brought in by last week's storms from the Chesapeake Bay area, almost 400 miles inland. 

Garvin said the pelican is young and was spotted alone. "When we received notification from someone who spotted the bird, we asked for pictures because we didn't believe that it was actually a pelican," Garvin said. After staff received pictures, the bird was positively identified as a pelican.

Because the area is not the bird's natural habitat, Garvin said she hopes to be able to capture and relocate the bird back to its natural habitat near the ocean. She said she urges anyone who sees it to "look but don't touch." She said she would like the public to contact her with any information about the pelican and its whereabouts, but asked the public not to attempt to capture the pelican.

If you see the bird, you can contact the Southwest Virginia Wildlife Center at 540-798-9836.