Pelican

## Kangaroos aren't the only ones with pouches

It is easy to identify pelicans because they are one of the only birds with a pouch under their bill. There is a famous limerick that begins, “A wonderful bird is the pelican, his bill can hold more than his ‘belican’....” This enormous, naked skin pouch hangs from the lower half of the pelican's long, straight bill, which is hooked at the tip. The pouch is used to catch fish and, as the limerick says, its bill does indeed hold more than its "belly can"!

The unique pouch is also helpful in warm weather. While roosting in the hot sun, pelicans open their bill and flap the pouch to cool off.

## At home on the water or in the sky

Along with the giant pouch, pelicans are short-legged with a big body, and they appear rather clumsy on land. However, once in the water, they are strong swimmers and use their webbed feet to push through the water. Pelicans and their relatives, such as cormorants, gannets, and boobies, are the only birds with a totipalmate foot. This means that webbing connects all four of their toes, even the back toe.

Pelicans are also splendid fliers and can soar like eagles with their giant wings. Getting up in the air, however, can be challenging without the help of the wind. Pelicans must run over the water, beat their big wings, and pound the surface of the water with both feet in unison to get enough speed for takeoff.

## Hanging out together

Pelicans like to be around other pelicans, and they don't mind being around other birds, either, be they cormorants or flamingos. They nest in large colonies, either near the water or in trees, depending on the species and habitat.

## Flying in formation

One can often see pelicans flying in flocks, as they are extremely social birds. They may fly in a “V” formation, but usually fly in a single line. Pelicans live in flocks with the young and adults of both sexes grouped together throughout much of the year. They nest in colonies in trees, bushes, or on the ground.

## Feathered fishermen

Pelicans are considered waterbirds and use fish as their main food source. If, however, a small reptile or amphibian comes their way, they might eat that, too! Pelicans use their bill pouch like a fishing net to scoop the fish into their bill. They then tip their head forward to drain out the water. However, they do not carry a fish very far in their bill but swallow it soon after catching one.

## Different fishing techniques

Methods of fishing differ among the different pelican species:

**Brown pelican—a plunge diver that fishes over salt water.** The brown pelican can sight a fish when flying at heights up to 70 feet (21 meters) and then dives headfirst into the water. The bird may submerge completely with a great splash or only partially, depending on the height of the dive. Air sacs under its skin cushion the impact of hitting the water, and the sacs also help the bird bob back to the surface like a feathered cork. The brown pelican seems to be the only species that uses this method of fishing.

**American white pelican—a group fisher.** Four to five American white pelicans swim side by side, gliding quietly in a semicircle facing the shore. Then, with much wing flapping and water splashing, they drive fish ahead of them toward the shore. Once the fish are in shallow water, it is easy for the pelicans to scoop them up in their bill!

**Pink-backed pelican and spot-billed pelican—quick grabbers.** These pelicans paddle along in the water, usually where there is a lot of vegetation where they can hide. They slowly swim up to prey and then catch it with a quick lunge. These birds like to hunt by themselves.

**Dalmatian pelican—let others find the fish!** In the Prespa Lakes of Greece, the Dalmatian pelican has been seen flying with cormorants. The cormorants dive deep in the water, which brings the fish to the surface for the pelican to scoop up!

It is a good thing pelicans are successful fishers, because they are among the largest of all birds. An adult pelican may eat up to 4 pounds (1.8 kilograms) of fish per day! Around the world, pelicans have been accused of competing with fishermen as well as with the commercial fishing industry. However, numerous studies have shown that pelicans usually eat “rough” fish, such as carp, shiners, mullet, and minnows, which are not favorites with people.

## Parenting pelicans

During breeding season, both male and female pelicans use their pouch to carry nest-building materials: twigs, grass, and feathers. The parents take turns incubating the eggs. The eggs hatch a day apart, and the first chick to hatch often attacks its younger siblings, so it gets the most food. The young are not fed from the pouch; instead, the parents open their mouth wide to allow the young to reach down into the gullet to get the food.