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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Swan-sized, huge white body with long neck
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Long yellow throat pouch, bill ending in a hook
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In flight: white wings with black flight feathers
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Usually quiet; deep low croaks in groups
About the species
The Great White Pelican is hard to miss because of its huge build and the long pouch under the bill. Adults look mostly white with a faint pink wash, and in the breeding season the bare skin on the face and bill becomes brighter.
It is a sociable, noisy species that usually stays quiet away from colonies. Its calls are low and deep, with a guttural note in flight, and large nesting sites can carry a constant low rumble.
It lives around shallow lakes, deltas, marshes, and reed beds. Fish is its main food, often taken in groups, and in Europe it arrives in spring and moves south for the winter.
Sources
- eBird — Pelecanus onocrotalus Sightings map and full description on eBird
- Wikipedia — Great white pelican Encyclopedia article