Pelican

Pelicans are well-known sea birds recognized by the long bills and large, bag-like throat pouches they use to scoop fish. The bottom of their bills can hold up to 3 gallons (11 liters) of water.

Kingdom: Animalia

Phylum: Chordata

Class: Aves

Order: Pelecaniformes

Family: Pelecanidae

Genus: Pelecanus

Species: Various (see below)

The bodies of pelicans are 4 to 5 1/2 feet (1 1/4 to 1 3/4 meters) long and weigh 5 1/2 to 33 pounds (2 1/2 to 15 kilograms). Their wingspans range between 6 3/4 and 11 3/4 feet (2 to 3 1/2 meters). Males usually have longer bills and weigh more than females. The Dalmatian pelican is the largest, the great white pelican is the heaviest, and the brown pelican is the smallest and lightest.

Pelicans are divided into two groups. The American white, Australian, Dalmatian, and great white (European white) pelicans have mostly white feathers and nest in colonies on the ground. The other species are the brown, pink-backed, and spot-billed (gray) pelicans which are gray or brown and build their nests in trees. The Peruvian pelican belongs to this group but builds its nests on sea rocks. All species have black wing plumage (feathering) and may have pink or orange patches on their bodies. Each species also has different color patterns on their faces which are brighter during mating season. These colors help attract mates and indicate that the pelicans are ready to mate. All seven species also have large, distinct pouches under their throats.

Colonies of pelicans live on or near sea coasts and inland waters in most parts of the world. Warm water attracts most of the seven species of pelicans, but some do live in desert areas where temperatures may drop at night. Pelicans are carnivores, which means they eat meat. Pelicans find fish to eat in the waters of Eastern Europe, Africa, India, Sri Lanka, Southeast Asia, Australia, North America, and South America. They usually nest near a reliable supply of fish, but they have also been known to fly hundreds of miles (kilometers) each day to find food. When a pelican is flying or swimming and sees fish, it dives and chases its prey. With its mouth open wide, the pelican scoops fish and water and then returns to the surface or the air. It swallows immediately to keep its balance and continues flying or swimming. These fish may weigh as little as a few ounces (grams) or as much as one pound (1/2 kilogram) and be up to one foot (30 centimeters) long. Some species, such as the marine brown pelicans, only dive for their food. Members of other species may hunt alone or in groups, herding a school of fish into one place and then all scooping at the same time. Foxes, birds of prey, snakes, and gulls prey on pelicans. Some species are threatened by pollution, habitat destruction, starvation, flooding of their nests, and disturbance by humans.

Pelicans quite often nest in small groups within the colony. These groups and colonies may become very noisy when their young are born. Adult pelicans may hiss and grunt, but they are usually fairly quiet. Pelicans breed mostly in places protected from other mammals and humans. In the tropics, pelicans may mate all year. In other areas, the breeding season depends on the supply of food and the temperature. The male chooses the site, gathers nesting material, and attracts a female. The female builds the nest before laying one to six chalky-white eggs, laying one egg every two to three days. Most lay two eggs. Each egg is incubated for 29 to 36 days by the parents. During incubation, the parents sit on the nest to keep the eggs warm so they will hatch. The male helps the female incubate the eggs and feeds fish to the young after they hatch. The eggs hatch at different times. The first to hatch usually gets more food than the others. The young who hatch later often starve because the older baby takes food from them. On rare occasions, pelican parents may raise two or three young in a year, while some never raise more than one. The young quickly grow and fledge, or can fly, after 63 to 120 days. They begin breeding after three or four years. Of the young pelicans that grow up and leave the nest, the majority do not survive the first year outside the nest.

The lifespan of most pelican species is 15 to 25 years in the wild and more than 50 years in captivity.

Pelican species include:

American white pelican Pelecanus erythrorhynchos

Peruvian pelican Pelecanus thagus

Australian pelican Pelecanus conspicillatus

Brown pelican Pelecanus occidentalis

Dalmatian pelican Pelecanus crispus

Great white, eastern white, rosy, or white pelican Pelecanus ononcrotalus

Pink-backed pelican Pelecanus rufescens

Spot-billed or gray pelican Pelicanus philippensis

Bibliography

Campbell, Emily. "Pelecanus Onocrotalus." Animal Diversity Web, 2022, animaldiversity.org/accounts/Pelecanus‗onocrotalus. Accessed 1 May 2024.

"Pelican." A-Z Animals, 5 Jan 2023, a-z-animals.com/animals/pelican. Accessed 1 May 2024.

"Pelican." San Diego Zoo Wildlife Alliance, animals.sandiegozoo.org/animals/pelican. Accessed 1 May 2024.