# American White Pelican (*Pelecanus erythrorhynchos*) The American White Pelican is a large, beautiful bird with a long bill and big wings. They love to glide over lakes and catch fish with their special beaks. Watching them fly is like seeing a big, white cloud in the sky! - **Category:** [Birds](https://www.snappit.app/explore/categories/bird) - **Rarity:** Common - **Danger:** 1/5 · Very low - **Snaps:** 50 - **Habitat:** Wetlands ![American White Pelican](https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?title=Special:Redirect/file/American_White_Pelican.jpg&width=800) Photo: Manjith Kainickara, CC BY-SA 2.0 · [Wikimedia Commons](https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:American_White_Pelican.jpg) ## Appearance The American White Pelican is a very large, mostly brilliant white bird. It has distinctive black primary and secondary flight feathers that are only visible when its wings are spread in flight. Its most striking feature is a huge, flat orange-yellow bill with an expandable gular pouch. ## Taxonomy - **Kingdom:** Animalia - **Phylum:** Chordata - **Class:** Aves - **Order:** Pelecaniformes - **Family:** Pelecanidae - **Genus:** Pelecanus ## Interesting facts - A pelican's bill can grow a temporary 'horn' only during breeding season! - Their massive bill pouch can hold up to 11 liters of water! - These pelicans never dive for fish; they only scoop prey from the water's surface. - Young pelicans drink water directly from their parents' bills. ## Special abilities - **Team Fishing Master:** American White Pelicans can herd fish into circles because they work together, making it easier to scoop them up. - **Giant Food Scoop:** American White Pelicans have a massive throat pouch that can hold several gallons of water and fish, acting like a giant net. - **Breeding Horn:** American White Pelicans grow a unique, temporary horn on their bill during breeding season that helps attract mates. - **Thermal Glider:** American White Pelicans can soar effortlessly on warm air currents, saving energy to travel long distances. ## Measurements & details - **Length:** 130-180 cm - **Wingspan:** 240-300 cm - **Weight:** 3.5-13.5 kg - **Lifespan:** 10-17 years - **Speed:** 56 km/h - **Clutch Size:** 1-6 - **Incubation:** 29-36 days - **Migration Distance:** 5000 km ## Diet & Feeding These large birds are expert fish-eaters, scooping up their meals from the water's surface. - **Primary Foods:** carp, minnows, suckers, perch, catfish - **Foraging Method:** Foraging ## Ecological connections - **Eaten by:** [Common Carp](https://www.snappit.app/explore/common-carp) (*Cyprinus carpio*) — A common large fish scooped up by pelicans. - **Eaten by:** [Channel Catfish](https://www.snappit.app/explore/channel-catfish) (*Ictalurus punctatus*) — Frequently consumed fish in their freshwater habitats. - **Hunts:** [California Gull](https://www.snappit.app/explore/california-gull) (*Larus californicus*) — Gulls often steal food from pelicans, especially during nesting. - **Eaten by:** [Bald Eagle](https://www.snappit.app/explore/bald-eagle) (*Haliaeetus leucocephalus*) — Eagles occasionally prey on pelican chicks or weak adults. ## Traits - [Feathered](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/feathered): Feathered describes animals, primarily birds, possessing a covering of feathers. - [Webbed Feet](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/webbed-feet): Characterized by having toes connected by a membrane, typically aiding in swimming. - [Social](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/social): Social animals live in organized groups, cooperating for survival benefits such as foraging, defense, and raising offspring. - [Filter Feeder](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/filter-feeder): Filter feeders obtain nutrients by straining suspended food particles and small organisms from water. - [Gliding](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/gliding): Gliding animals move through the air by launching themselves and maintaining flight with specialized body structures, without flapping wings. - [Piscivorous](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/piscivorous): Piscivorous organisms are animals that primarily subsist on a diet of fish. - [Wetland](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/wetland): This habitat trait identifies species found in wetlands, which are areas of land saturated with water, either permanently or seasonally, including marshes, swamps, and bogs. - [Keystone Species](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/keystone-species): Describes a species whose presence and role have a disproportionately large effect on its environment. - [Migratory](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/migratory): Migratory animals undertake seasonal movements from one region to another, typically in response to changes in climate or food availability. ## Collections - [Birds](https://www.snappit.app/explore/collections/birds) ## Safety **Danger:** 1/5 · Very low Keep a safe distance and watch quietly so you don't scare the birds. ## Frequently Asked Questions ### How to identify American White Pelican? Compare the silhouette, bill shape, tail length, wing bars and markings around the eyes. The same small brown bird at your feeder can look quite different in breeding plumage, winter plumage or its first year. Bird Identifier: upload a photo and compare the visible details. ### How long is American White Pelican? 130-180 cm ### What is American White Pelican's wingspan? 240-300 cm ### How much does American White Pelican weigh? 3.5-13.5 kg ### How long does American White Pelican live? 10-17 years ### How fast can American White Pelican move? 56 km/h ### What does American White Pelican eat? These large birds are expert fish-eaters, scooping up their meals from the water's surface. ### Where is American White Pelican usually found? Wetlands ## Where to spot - [Alabama City Wall Street Historic District](https://www.snappit.app/guides/places/alabama-city-wall-street-historic-district) — Alabama, US · Historic District - [Brunswick Old Town Historic District](https://www.snappit.app/guides/places/brunswick-old-town-historic-district) — Georgia, US · Historic District - [Desert Garden Conservatory](https://www.snappit.app/guides/places/desert-garden-conservatory) — California, US · Botanical Garden - [Downtown Quincy Historic District](https://www.snappit.app/guides/places/downtown-quincy-historic-district) — Illinois, US · Historic District - [Flamingo Gardens](https://www.snappit.app/guides/places/flamingo-gardens) — Florida, US · Botanical Garden - [Gadsden Downtown Historic District](https://www.snappit.app/guides/places/gadsden-downtown-historic-district) — Alabama, US · Historic District [View all places to see American White Pelican](https://www.snappit.app/guides/where-to-see/american-white-pelican) ## More Birds - [Black-crowned Night Heron](https://www.snappit.app/explore/black-crowned-night-heron) (*Nycticorax nycticorax*) - [Anna's Hummingbird](https://www.snappit.app/explore/annas-hummingbird) (*Calypte anna*) - [Great Egret](https://www.snappit.app/explore/great-egret) (*Ardea alba*) - [Blue Jay](https://www.snappit.app/explore/blue-jay) (*Cyanocitta cristata*) --- Source: [American White Pelican: Facts & Places to See — Snappit](https://www.snappit.app/explore/american-white-pelican)