Pelicans attract flocks of tourists to Mexico island

Like the famous monarch butterflies, another illustrious visitor, white pelicans come to Mexico every year to escape the bitter cold of the north.  They fly from Canada and the US to the warmer climate of the shores of Lake Chapala in the western state of Michoacan.  Thousands of pelicans, which can measure 1.75 meters in length and have a wingspan of up to 3 meters, start to arrive in Mexico in November and stay until the spring.  The town of Petatan welcomes them with plenty of fish.  While the pelicans are there, Petatan benefits from a boost in tourism as visitors fill restaurants and rent boat rides on Lake Chapala to see the birds up close.