Animal Profiles
Birds

Pelican

Pelecanidae

Living

Living individuals or members of this group exist today. This does not mean they are safe from extinction.

Pelicans are large waterbirds with expandable throat pouches. This account describes the great white pelican (Pelecanus onocrotalus), which often gathers in groups to catch fish.

Pelecanus onocrotalus (pelican)

Representative species: Pelecanus onocrotalus.

Charles J. Sharp · CC BY-SA

At a glance

Habitat
Wetlands, Rivers and lakes, Coast
Diet
Piscivore
Food
Mostly fish.

Classification

Common name
Pelican
Browse group
Birds
Scientific name or taxon
Pelecanidae
Taxon rank
family
Order
Pelecaniformes
Family
Pelecanidae
Source classification
Aves

Taxonomy checked against GBIF. For breeds and hybrids, this describes the listed parent taxon.

Three things to know

  • Its throat pouch helps collect fish.
  • Birds may cooperate while feeding.
  • It nests in colonies.

Habitat and range

Great white pelicans occupy parts of Europe, Asia and Africa. Lakes, shallow marshes, lagoons and deltas provide feeding habitat, while protected islands and reedbeds can support nesting colonies.

Appearance and adaptations

The bird has mostly white plumage, dark flight feathers and a very large bill. An elastic pouch beneath the lower bill collects water and prey during feeding.

Diet and behaviour

Fish supply most food. Groups can cooperate to drive fish toward shallow water, scoop them up and drain the water before swallowing. Breeding and roosting are often communal, and movements vary among populations.

Sources

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