LOCATION
All birds are classed as Migrant, Resident or Vagrant. Pelicans are Vagrant,
which means they will roam from place to place according to the food available
to them. Pink-backed Pelicans can be found on any body of open water where
there is enough fish, and will fly on to a new area when food is scarce.
BREEDING
COLONIES
Pelicans are social birds and nest as large colonies. Courtship rituals precede
breeding and this is when the feathers of the Pink-backed Pelican are at their
pinkest.
NESTS
The nests are built in reed beds, on sand or mud banks, on large rocks and
small islets. They are simple structures, being built more solidly only if
located in trees.
CHICKS
Adult Pelicans feed their chicks by regurgitating half-digested fish into
their bill-pouch. The chicks help themselves, their whole heads and necks
disappearing inside the bill to find food.
FEEDING HABITS
THE BILL
The lower part of a Pelican's bill is a leathery pouch, called a gula, used
both as a fishing net and as a feeding bowl for the chicks.
DIET
Pelicans eat a variety of fish, salamanders, frogs and small invertebrates.
They consume about 2kg of food per day.
DIVING
The skin and bones of Pelicans are filled with air, and this makes diving
for fish difficult for them. They prefer to scoop up food found near the surface
using their large pouches. Certain species of Pelican sometimes unite with
other flocks of birds to frighten fish into shallow water for easier catching.
FLIGHT
WINGS
The Pelican is one of the world's largest flying birds with a wing span of
over three metres.
FLIGHT
Pelicans take off into the air with difficulty, being such heavy birds, but
once they are in flight they fly well, with a few wing-beats alternating with
glides. They fly with their heads pulled back over their chests rather than
stretching out their necks.
FLOCKS
When flying as a flock, Pelicans use a slanting line as a formation. Birds
take turns to relieve the leader when it tires.
THE SPECIES
There are eight species of Pelican found virtually all over the world including
Africa, Asia, Europe and the Americas.
HERE AT THE PARK
The species we have here at Flamingo Park is the Pink-backed Pelican, which
originates from Arabia, Madagascar and Africa.
Pink - Backed Pelican
Scientific name
Pelecanus rufescens
Africa and Madagascar
