Animals
Class: Bird
Biome:
Conservation Status: Least Concern
About this animal
Great white pelicans are found in Eastern Europe, Asia and Africa. This is one of the largest flying birds in the world, with a wingspan of nearly 3 metres. It is awkward and clumsy on land but is fast and graceful in water or in the air. It eats 1kg of fish a day, which it catches in its pouched beak. Great white pelicans spend a great deal of their time in water. They usually choose large, freshwater lakes that have reed beds or small islands that can be used as safe places to nest.. Pelicans often breed in large colonies of 40,000 to 50,000 pairs. Nests are usually just a rough pile of twigs on the ground, sometimes not even that. Two eggs are laid, which both parents keep warm by taking turns to rest them on their feet. After 29-36 days the eggs hatch into bald, helpless chicks which the parents feed from a special liquid that runs down their beaks. The chicks are able to fly when they are 10 - 12 weeks old, but will not be ready to breed themselves until they are aged 3-4 years. They feed mainly on fish, though they sometimes eat crustaceans (shrimp-like creatures) and have even been known to eat ducklings.
Did you know?
The great white pelican is a superb flier and is able to fly for a whole day and night without stopping, covering a distance of about 300 miles. Pelicans are surprisingly light for their size (5 - 9 kg) because of air spaces in their bones and under the skin, this feature helps the pelican when flying!
