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South Dakota's Magnificent Pelicans

Karl Gehrke SDPB

A few weeks ago I was at Lake Poinsett in northeast South Dakota’s Glacial Lakes and Prairies region watching four white pelicans silently swimming about thirty feet from shore. It was a cloudy morning with a light wind blowing from the south. Every minute or so, one the large birds would plunge its long bill under the water, pull its heads back up and swallow a fish. As I watched them, several questions popped into my head. How do they find the fish? What kind of fish do they eat? Where do they breed? Where do they go during the winter? Since I didn’t want to bother the pelicans for the answers, I called the Waubay National Wildlife Refuge and spoke with wildlife biologist Laura Hubers for Dakota Midday.

Karl was born to northeastern South Dakota crouton farmers, but was orphaned as a toddler during the Great Salad War (1966-67). Rescued by a flock of chickadees, he grew up in the woodlands of Sica Hollow. Legends of a bird boy living in the trees attracted the interest of renowned ornithologist and amateur bandoneon repairman Dr. Vogel Gehrke. With a handful of suet, Dr. Gehrke coaxed the timid boy down from the trees. He adopted him, named him Karl and taught him not to molt on the carpet. Dr. Gehrke’s book, The Bird Boy of Sica Hollow, was a best seller and Karl became a minor celebrity and teen idol. He appeared as a guest star on numerous television programs, most notably an awkward role on The Love Boat as the boyfriend of Captain Stubing’s daughter, Vicki. After critics panned his 1980 album, Bird Boy Does Disco, Karl retreated from public life and returned to Sica Hollow. Living in an isolated tree house, Karl achieved a reputation as a mystic. Pilgrims and seekers from around the world came to ask him about the meaning of life and for vinaigrette recipes. Growing tired of answering questions, he climbed down from his tree, shaved his massive white beard and took a job as the host of SDPB Radio’s Dakota Midday where he could ask the questions instead. After three years in that position, he ran out of questions and became host of Jazz Nightly instead. Karl makes his home in Vermillion with his charming wife Kari and three delightful children, Kodey, Kasey and Spatula. His hobbies include reciting the alphabet, combing his hair and doing volunteer work with delinquent songbirds.
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