Details
Pelecanus onocrotalus
The great white pelican is a huge waterbird ranging across the Palearctic, Africa, and parts of the Indomalayan region. It uses an immense throat pouch and often fishes in colonies.
Map: Ecoregions 2017 © RESOLVE (CC BY 4.0) · Natural Earth (PD)
It uses lakes, inland wetlands, estuaries, and shallow coastal waters. Breeding colonies form on islands, sandbars, or protected sites within large wetlands.
Length is 140-180 cm and weight 9-15 kg. The body is white with a rosy wash, the bill and pouch are enormous, and black flight feathers show in the wings.
Diurnal and strongly colonial, it often feeds in groups. Birds may swim in lines or arcs to herd fish into shallow water.
A carnivore, it feeds mainly on fish. It scoops prey with water in the bill, drains the pouch, and swallows the catch.
Large colonies nest on the ground. Pairs guard eggs and chicks, and older chicks gather in groups while parents deliver regurgitated fish.
It is listed as Least Concern. Large wetlands remain essential, with water-level changes, conflict with fisheries, and disturbance at colonies causing local concern.
