SUNDAY, March 27, 8pm

Nature: Outback Pelicans

PBS In this new episode, scientist Greg Johnston studies how some 100,000 Australian coastal pelicans know, every 10 years or so, that floods have filled up the usually dry Lake Eyre in the country’s central desert. The pelicans fly more than a thousand miles to feed on the lake’s fish and shrimp and raise chicks. Then they fly home once the lake water subsides.

THURSDAY, March 31, 1pm, live

Baseball’s Opening Day

ESPN “There is something uniquely American in hitting one out of the park,” wrote the late Dick Young about home runs, some of which will likely be on display in today’s inaugural games of the 2011 season. Starting at 1pm: Detroit vs. New York Yankees, San Diego vs. St. Louis and San Francisco vs. Los Angeles Dodgers.

FRIDAY, April 1, 7 and 10pm

Unlikely Animal Friends 2

NATIONAL GEOGRAPHIC CHANNEL At the Noah’s Ark wildlife rehab center south of Atlanta, a lion, tiger and bear rescued as cubs now live happily as pals. Elsewhere, a family adopts an orphaned baby hippo. Advisory: TV-G, but there are scenes of recovery from animal abuse.

SATURDAY-TUESDAY, April 2-5

NCAA Basketball Championships

CBS, ESPN In this year’s major college basketball tournaments, CBS airs the women’s semifinal games starting at 6pm Saturday and the championship tussle at 9pm Monday, while ESPN broadcasts the men’s semifinal games starting at 7pm Sunday and the championship contest at 8:30pm Tuesday.

SUNDAY-THURSDAY, April 3-7, 8pm nightly

The Civil War

PBS Ken Burns’ 1990 nine-part documentary about the U.S. Civil War provides a striking photographic record of the conflict. This re-airing opens Sunday with views about the war’s causes and its first year. Monday’s two episodes cover 1862; Tuesday it’s 1863, Wednesday 1864 and Thursday 1865.

WEDNESDAY, April 6, 8pm

Friendly Persuasion

TURNER CLASSIC MOVIES The testing of a Quaker family’s Christian faith during the Civil War is at the center of this alternately dramatic, gentle and humorous 1956 film classic directed by William Wyler and based on a 1945 novel by Jessamyn West, herself a Quaker. Gary Cooper and Dorothy McGuire lead a fine cast. TV-G.

FRIDAY, April 8, 3am and 6:30pm

The Catholic View for Women

EWTN This new six-part series aims to show Catholic women the truth and beauty of the faith and its relevance to their lives. In today’s episode, co-hosts Astrid Bennett Gutierrez of Los Angeles Pregnancy Services, Janet Morana of Priests for Life and Teresa Tomeo of EWTN discuss “Finding Your Own Catholic Identity/Vocation.”

Dan Engler writes from Santa Barbara, California.