# Pelican (*Pelecanus*) Pelicans are large birds with long beaks and a throat pouch for catching fish. They are excellent divers and can be seen flying gracefully over coastal waters. - **Category:** [Birds](https://www.snappit.app/explore/categories/bird) - **Rarity:** Common - **Danger:** 2/5 · Low - **Habitat:** Coastal areas - **Also known as:** White Pelican ![Pelican](https://res.cloudinary.com/drieglelr/image/upload/v1771426221/objects/6299.jpg) ## Appearance The Pelican is a large water bird, recognized by its enormous, expandable throat pouch beneath a long beak. Its plumage varies from white to grey-brown, often with bright patches of color on its bill and feet during breeding season. They have webbed feet and a bulky body built for aquatic life. ## Taxonomy - **Kingdom:** Animalia - **Phylum:** Chordata - **Class:** Aves - **Order:** Pelecaniformes - **Family:** Pelecanidae - **Genus:** Pelecanus ## Interesting facts - A group of pelicans is called a 'scoop' or even a 'squadron' when flying high. - Pelican bones are hollow and filled with air, making them super light for impressive flight! - Pelican chicks are born without a throat pouch; it grows as they get older! - Some pelicans soar for hours without flapping their wings, using rising warm air currents. ## Special abilities - **Pouch Power:** Pelican has a huge throat pouch that helps them scoop up fish and drain water before swallowing their meal. - **Soaring Master:** Pelican can soar effortlessly on thermal currents for hours, conserving energy while searching for food. - **Team Fishing:** Pelican can work together in groups, using their bodies and wings to corral fish into shallow water. ## Measurements & details - **Length:** 106-183 cm - **Wingspan:** 180-350 cm - **Weight:** 2.7-15 kg - **Lifespan:** 10-30 years - **Speed:** 56 km/h - **Clutch Size:** 1-4 - **Incubation:** 30-36 days - **Migration Distance:** 4800 km ## Diet & Feeding Pelicans are expert fish hunters, scooping them up in their enormous throat pouch to swallow whole. - **Age differences:** Young chicks are fed regurgitated, partially digested fish by their parents, until they can hunt themselves. - **Primary Foods:** fish, crustaceans, amphibians, eels - **Foraging Method:** Foraging ## Ecological connections - **Hunts:** Striped Mullet (*Mugil cephalus*) — A common fish species often caught by pelicans. - **Eaten by:** Kelp Gull (*Larus dominicanus*) — Gulls may prey on pelican eggs and young chicks. - **Eaten by:** [Saltwater Crocodile](https://www.snappit.app/explore/saltwater-crocodile) (*Crocodylus porosus*) — Large crocodiles can occasionally prey on adult pelicans. ## 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. - [Aerial](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/aerial): Aerial creatures spend a significant portion of their lives airborne, utilizing flight for various activities such as hunting, migration, or nesting. - [Piscivorous](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/piscivorous): Piscivorous organisms are animals that primarily subsist on a diet of fish. - [Coastal](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/coastal): Coastal habitats are dynamic environments located along the interface between land and sea, influenced by tides, waves, and saltwater. - [Diurnal](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/diurnal): Diurnal animals are primarily active during daylight hours, typically resting or sleeping at night. - [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. ## Collections - [Birds](https://www.snappit.app/explore/collections/birds) ## Safety **Danger:** 2/5 · Low Observe pelicans from a safe distance to avoid startling them. ## Frequently Asked Questions ### How to identify 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 Pelican? 106-183 cm ### What is Pelican's wingspan? 180-350 cm ### How much does Pelican weigh? 2.7-15 kg ### How long does Pelican live? 10-30 years ### How fast can Pelican move? 56 km/h ### What does Pelican eat? Pelicans are expert fish hunters, scooping them up in their enormous throat pouch to swallow whole. ### Where is Pelican usually found? Coastal areas ## Where to spot - [İzmir Doğal Yaşam Parkı](https://www.snappit.app/guides/places/izmir-do-al-ya-am-park) — Izmir, TR · Zoo ## 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: [Pelican: Characteristics, Facts & Places to See — Snappit](https://www.snappit.app/explore/pelican)