Pelicans · Pelicans and herons
Great White Pelican
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Pelecanus onocrotalus
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How to recognize it
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Body length 140–180 cm
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Adult plumage: white with a pink tinge, black flight feathers, yellow throat pouch
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Slow wingbeats followed by gliding; neck held close to the body
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Deep croak in flight; low mooing at colonies
About the species
At a glance, the Great White Pelican is mostly white, with a faint pink wash on its neck and breast. Black flight feathers show clearly when its wings open, and bare pink skin surrounds each eye above a long bill with a yellow pouch. Unlike the Dalmatian Pelican’s greyish-white plumage, its own is pure white.
It spends much of its time in company, often feeding in a loose horseshoe formation. The group dips bills together to corral fish into their pouches, though it can also forage alone. Usually quiet away from breeding colonies, it gives low “moo” calls there and a subdued croak in flight.
It breeds around shallow lakes, marshes and deltas, often near dense reeds, and feeds mainly on fish. European and other northern populations migrate south after breeding, while many African populations stay year-round; in the Danube Delta, pelicans arrive in late March or early April and leave from September to late November.
Where to find
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In spring, beside shallow lakes and river deltas with dense reed beds, listen for low mooing from a dense breeding colony.
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In shallow water, watch a group slap the surface with its wings to drive fish toward the shore.
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Above lakes and lagoons, look for large flocks that glide after a few slow wingbeats, often in a V.
