Pelican
Pelican Facts
| Size | 4.1-6.2 ft (1.25-1.9 m) |
| Speed | Up to 40 mph (65 km/h) |
| Weight | 8-26 lb (3.6-12 kg) |
| Lifespan | 16-23 years |
| Food | Fish, shrimps, turtles |
| Predators | Cats, coyotes |
| Habitat | Tropical and subtropical oceans |
| Order | Pelecaniformes |
| Family | Pelicans |
| Scientific name | Pelecanus |
| Characteristics | Long beak with a throat pouch |
Pelicans are large water birds with extraordinarily long, big beaks and a very stretchabel throat pouch. Together with the kori bustard they are the world’s heaviest birds that are able to fly.
The Water Tank Inside the Beak
The beak of a pelican can hold 3 gal (11 l) of water. To put it more precisely: in the skin pouch located at the throat and connected to the lower beak. The stomach of a pelican is just half as big by the way.
Why Does the Pelican Drink so Much Water?
Is the bird so thirsty that it has to swallow 3 gal (11 l) of water at one go? This cannot be true. And the skin pouch does not work like a water pistol either – even if this would be fun.
The right answer is: The pelican uses its beak like a landing net or a dipper to catch some fish. It just opens its beak a little bit and “floods” the pouch with water.
Then it slightly opens the beak again to let the water flow off. The delicious fish stay in the pouch and then can be swallowed.
Seagulls – Unwelcome Food Robbers
Often you see seagulls sitting on the heads of pelicans. They are waiting for their chance to get a share of the prey with little effort.
As soon as the pelican slightly opens its beak to let the water flow off, the seagull tries to steal one or two fish directly out of the beak.
The Largest Pelican
With its size of 6 ft (1.83 m), a wingspan of 11.3 ft (3.45 m), and a weight of 26 lb (12 kg), the Dalmatian pelican is the largest pelican species.
Only the Andean condor and the wandering albatross sometimes surpass its wingspan.
The Longest Beak
Congratulations go to the Australian pelican. Its beak has the record length of 19.2 in (49 cm).
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Pelikan |
Size |
Wingspan |
Weight |
| Brown Pelican |
Max. 4.5 ft (1.40 m) | Max. 8.2 ft (2.5 m) | Max. 10 lb (4.5 kg) |
| Peruvian Pelican |
Max. 4.9 ft (1.52 m) | Max. 8.1 ft (2.48 m) | Max. 15.4 lb (7 kg) |
| Spot-Billed Pelican |
Max. 4.9 ft (1.52 m) | Max. 8.2 ft (2.5 m) | Max. 11 lb (5 kg) |
| Pink-Backed Pelican |
Max. 4.3 ft (1.32 m) | Max. 7.8 ft (2.4 m) | Max. 15.4 lb (7 kg) |
| American White Pelican |
Max. 5.9 ft (1.8 m) | Max. 9.8 ft (3 m) | Max. 19.8 lb (9 kg) |
| Great White Pelican |
Max. 5.7 ft (1.75 m) | Max. 9.1 ft (2.8 m) | 22-24.2 lb (10-11 kg) |
| Dalmatian Pelican |
Max. 6 ft (1.83 m) | Max. 11.3 ft (3.45 m) | 22-26.4 lb (10-12 kg) |
| Australian Pelican |
Max. 6.2 ft (1.9 m) | Max. 8.5 ft (2.6 m) | Max. 18 lb (8.2 kg) |
Long Distance Airplane „Pelican“
The pelican is able to fly for 24 hours without any stopover at a speed of up to 35 mph (56 km/h). It covers distances of up to 310 miles (500 km) at a flight altitude of 9,840 ft (3,000 m).
More Fish, Please!
A pelican eats about 2.6 lb (1.2 kg) fish per day, which equals about 10 % of its body weight.
Horseshoe Tactics
Pelicans go hunting together. The birds position themselves to form the shape of a horseshoe and chase the fish into the shallow waters by hitting the water surface with their wings.
- Find out more:
- Blue-Footed Booby Facts
- Watch now on animalfunfacts.net:
Video: All about Birds - 5 Interesting Facts - e.g. about pelicans
