Pyramid Lake, on the Paiute Indian Reservation, just north of Reno, Nevada, is an unexpected deep blue jewel surrounded by desert mountains. Even more surprisingly, it hosts one of the largest nesting colonies of American White Pelicans in North America. Every spring and summer 8,000 to 10,000 of these magnificent birds nest on Anaho Island, a national wildlife refuge, surrounded by the lake. These large fish-eating birds feast on the rich fish life that inhabit the saline waters of Pyramid Lake, and the marshes in the Lahontan Valley, about 30 miles to the southeast.
In 1913, President Woodrow Wilson recognized the pelicans' need for a home of their own. He decided to set aside Anaho Island on the eastern shoreline of Pyramid Lake as a sanctuary for colonial nesting birds, specifically the White Pelican. To protect these large ground-nesting birds, Anaho Island NWR is closed to the public, and boats are not allowed within 500 feet of the island. Woodrow Wilson's foresight continues to benefit birders all over the country as they gather around the lake each summer to watch the pelicans in their natural habitat.
Watch these large waterfowl through some binoculars or a birding scope at the Sutcliffe Marina area, the best place to scope the lake for pelicans. Also, keep an eye out for the Peregrine Falcons who share the island with the pelicans.
Pyramid Lake isn't known just for its pelicans. Come by the lake in winter or early spring to see a variety of other water birds. Watch the California Seagulls wing over the lake's blue waters, or try to spot the Double Crested Cormorants, Great Blue Herons, Black-crowned Night Herons, Clark's Grebes, and the occasional Caspian Tern. On the lakeshore, spy the Burrowing Owl, Sage Thrasher, and Black-throated Sparrow in the local sagebrush.
Pyramid Lake is home to one of the largest pelican sanctuaries in the United States. Birders from all over the country visit this site to view these birds in their natural habitat. When it's not pelican season, come discover the large variety of other aquatic and sagebrush birds.
