# Pink-Backed Pelican (*pelecanus rufescens*) The Pink-Backed Pelican is a large and graceful bird known for its beautiful pinkish feathers on its back. These pelicans love to glide over water and can often be seen fishing with their big beaks! - **Category:** [Birds](https://www.snappit.app/explore/categories/bird) - **Rarity:** Common - **Danger:** 1/5 · Very low - **Habitat:** They live in freshwater lakes, rivers, and coastal areas in Africa and parts of Asia. - **Also known as:** African Pelican ![Pink-Backed Pelican](https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?title=Special:Redirect/file/Pelecanus_rufescens.001_-_Zoo_Aquarium_de_Madrid.JPG&width=800) Photo: Fernando Losada Rodríguez, CC BY-SA 4.0 · [Wikimedia Commons](https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Pelecanus_rufescens.001_-_Zoo_Aquarium_de_Madrid.JPG) ## Appearance The Pink-Backed Pelican is a large waterbird, predominantly greyish-white with a distinctive pale pinkish wash on its back, especially noticeable in breeding season. It has a large, flattened bill featuring a vibrant yellow-orange throat pouch and a shaggy crest on its nape. ## Taxonomy - **Kingdom:** Animalia - **Phylum:** Chordata - **Class:** Aves - **Order:** Pelecaniformes - **Family:** Pelecanidae - **Genus:** Pelecanus ## Interesting facts - Pelican chicks stick their heads deep into their parents' throats to grab their fishy meals! - Pink-Backed Pelicans have special glands that remove salt from saltwater, so they can drink it! - Their 'pink back' gets much brighter during mating season, a flashy display of health! - These pelicans build their large nests high in trees, often near water, creating huge colonies! ## Special abilities - **Gullet Scoop:** Pink-Backed Pelicans have an expandable throat pouch that helps them scoop up fish like a net. - **Air Glider:** Pink-Backed Pelicans can use warm air currents to soar effortlessly for long distances, saving energy. - **Synchronized Swimmer:** Pink-Backed Pelicans often fish cooperatively, herding fish together to catch more efficiently. - **Water Shield:** Pink-Backed Pelicans have special oil-coated feathers that help them stay dry and buoyant in water. ## Measurements & details - **Length:** 125-155 cm - **Wingspan:** 215-290 cm - **Weight:** 4-7 kg - **Lifespan:** 15-25 years - **Speed:** 50 km/h - **Clutch Size:** 2-3 - **Incubation:** 30-36 days ## Diet & Feeding These expert fishers primarily eat fish, using their large pouches to scoop them from the water. - **Primary Foods:** Tilapia, Cichlids, Catfish - **Foraging Method:** Foraging ## Ecological connections - **Eaten by:** Nile Crocodile (*Crocodylus niloticus*) — Eggs and chicks are prey. - **Eaten by:** African Fish Eagle (*Haliaeetus vocifer*) — Predates on young pelicans. - **Hunts:** Nile Tilapia (*Oreochromis niloticus*) — Primary food source. - **Shelter:** Nile Acacia (*Acacia nilotica*) — Nests built in branches. ## Traits - [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. - [Colorful](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/colorful): Colorful describes organisms or objects displaying a wide range of bright and distinct colors. - [Carnivorous](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/carnivorous): This trait identifies organisms whose diet consists entirely or primarily of animal tissue. - [Diurnal](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/diurnal): Diurnal animals are primarily active during daylight hours, typically resting or sleeping at night. - [Aquatic](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/aquatic): Aquatic habitats encompass environments where organisms live predominantly in water, including oceans, rivers, lakes, and wetlands. ## Collections - [Birds](https://www.snappit.app/explore/collections/birds) ## Safety **Danger:** 1/5 · Very low No special safety notes yet. ## Frequently Asked Questions ### How to identify Pink-Backed 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 Pink-Backed Pelican? 125-155 cm ### What is Pink-Backed Pelican's wingspan? 215-290 cm ### How much does Pink-Backed Pelican weigh? 4-7 kg ### How long does Pink-Backed Pelican live? 15-25 years ### How fast can Pink-Backed Pelican move? 50 km/h ### What does Pink-Backed Pelican eat? These expert fishers primarily eat fish, using their large pouches to scoop them from the water. ### Where is Pink-Backed Pelican usually found? They live in freshwater lakes, rivers, and coastal areas in Africa and parts of Asia. ## 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: [Pink-Backed Pelican: Facts & Places to See — Snappit](https://www.snappit.app/explore/pink-backed-pelican)