When will the pelicans return to the South Saskatchewan River in Saskatoon?
If you know the answer, or have a lucky guess, you could win a prize from the Meewasin Valley Authority. The river valley stewardship organization is bringing back its Pelican Watch Contest for 2023.
“April through October, pelicans gather by the weir. These birds, once on the endangered species list, have been a beautiful sight on the South Saskatchewan River in Saskatoon since the late 1970s,” Meewasin said in a statement.
“For Saskatoon residents, their arrival is a harbinger of spring.”
Over the past 25 years, the earliest the pelicans have been seen is April 2 at 6:25 p.m. and the latest they’ve arrived was on April 21 at 11:48 a.m.
The contest can be entered for free online, but it’s limited to one guess per person. The contest closes at the end of March — or earlier, depending on when the first pelican is observed by the Saskatoon Nature Society.
Several prizes are on offer, Meewasin said, including some outdoor gear to help people explore the river valley.
The return of the American White Pelicans not only heralds the coming of spring, but according to Renny Grilz, Meewasin’s resource management officer, the event also marks a victory for conservation efforts, as the birds were the first animal to be “delisted” from the threatened species list in 1987.