pelican
1. Bird Name: The bird being profiled is well recognized and abundant in the world of water birds: the Pelican. Its scientific name is Pelecanus.
2. Appearance: Pelicans are known for their impressive size and recognizable features. They possess a long beak completed with a large, expandable throat pouch which they use for catching fish. The color of pelicans varies among the species, but typically they display a white or grayish body, often with darker flight feathers. Some species, like the American White Pelican, are completely white except for their black wingtips. A pelican’s bill can range in color from pink, orange, or yellow, to a dark brown or gray. The legs and feet may appear yellow to orange-red. Both male and female pelicans share these color characteristics, making them sexually monomorphic.
3. Size: Pelicans are one of the larger bird species, with an average length of 130–180 cm (51–70 inches) and possessing a wingspan that stretches an impressive 240–360 cm (94–140 inches). Their weight can range between 4 and 14 kg (8.8 and 30.8 lbs).
4. Habitat & Distribution: In terms of habitat and distribution, pelicans are found on every continent except Antarctica, favoring warm regions close to seas, lakes, and rivers. They are typically attracted to coastal areas, estuaries, and other large bodies of open water that host an abundance of fish. However, some species also reside in inland and freshwater habitats.
5. Interesting Facts: An interesting fact about pelicans is their unique fishing technique. They dive from the air to catch fish in their large throat pouch but unlike other birds, they don’t swallow their catch immediately. They first drain the water from their pouch before swallowing the fish. Cultural references to Pelicans exist in ancient Egyptian artwork, Christian symbolism offering themes of sacrifice, and they are even state birds, as in the case of Louisiana, the “Pelican State.”
6. Diet: Pelicans are carnivorous, their diet consists almost entirely of fish, but they have been known to consume amphibians, turtles, crustaceans, and occasionally birds.
7. Behavior & Sounds: Pelicans are social birds and are often spotted in large groups. They are strong swimmers and accomplished flyers, often seen flying in a ‘V’ formation. When it comes to sounds, Pelicans are typically silent, but they can make low, throaty croaking sounds, especially in breeding colonies.
8. Conservation Status: Most pelican species are listed as “Least Concern” by IUCN, but the Dalmatian Pelican is categorized as “Near Threatened.”
9. Lifespan: In the wild, pelicans can live up to 15 to 25 years, while in captivity, they can live up to 35 years, due to a lack of natural predators and regular feeding.
10. Additional Notes: Pelicans play an essential role in their ecosystems by controlling fish populations. Some pelicans are also quite tolerant of humans and have learned to take handouts from waterfront restaurants or even swoop into fishing boats or cleaning stations looking for an easy meal. In other languages, Pelicans are ‘pelikaan’ in Dutch and ‘pelican’ in French, which attest to their wide-spread presence and global recognition.
