Great white pelican

Pelecanus onocrotalus is a large bird with a wingspan of up to 2.3 meters. It has a white body with black wings and a pinkish-white head and neck. Its distinguishing feature is its long, curved bill. It is found in wetlands, estuaries, and shallow coastal waters. Its lifespan is up to 25 years and its current population is estimated to be between 10,000 and 20,000 individuals.

Name Origin: The scientific name of the organism, Pelecanus onocrotalus, is derived from the Greek words "pelekan" meaning "pelican" and "onokrotalos" meaning "crested". This is likely in reference to the species' distinctive crest of feathers on its head.

Related Species: Pelecanus crispus, Pelecanus occidentalis, Pelecanus rufescens

Kingdom: Animalia

Phylum: Chordata

Class: Aves

Order: Aves

Family: Pelecanidae

Genus: Pelecanus

Species: Pelican

Pelecanus onocrotalus lives in wetlands, rivers, and lakes. They prefer shallow waters with plenty of vegetation, such as reeds and rushes, for them to hide in. They also need plenty of fish to feed on. They are often found in large groups, and can be seen soaring in the sky in search of food. The unique features of their habitat include plenty of trees and shrubs for nesting, and plenty of open water for them to take off and land. Other animals that can be found in the same habitat include ducks, geese, herons, and other waterfowl.

Native country: Mediterranean, Black Sea, Middle East, India.

Native continent: They are found in Africa, Europe, and Asia. Their native continent is Africa.

Other organisms found in habitat: Phalacrocorax carbo, Platalea leucorodia, Typha latifolia, Carex acutiformis

Appearance Summary: Pelecanus onocrotalus is a large bird with a wingspan of up to 2.5 meters. It has a white body with black flight feathers and a black tail. Its head is white with a yellowish-orange face and a long, curved bill. Its legs are black and its feet are webbed. It has a large throat pouch which it uses to scoop up fish from the water. It is a strong flier and can often be seen soaring high in the sky.

Facial description: Pelecanus onocrotalus has a long, slender bill with a downward curve at the end. Its face is white with a black stripe running from the bill to the back of the head. It has a black eye patch and a yellowish-white crown. Its neck is white with a black stripe running down the center. Its back and wings are dark brown and its belly is white.

What are the distinct features of Great white pelican? Large size, white plumage, black flight feathers, long beak, yellow eyes, loud honking calls, often seen in large flocks, feeds on fish, dives into water to catch prey, nests in colonies on cliffs or trees.

What makes them unique?

Great white pelican body color description: White, Grey, Black

skin type: The Pelecanus onocrotalus has a smooth, glossy exterior with a white and grey color palette. Its feathers are soft and silky to the touch.

Strengths: Adaptability, High Intelligence, Long Lifespan, Social Interaction, Flight, Diving Ability

Weaknesses: Poor eyesight, Slow flight, Large size, Limited diet, Nesting in colonies

Pelecanus onocrotalus behavior summary: Pelecanus onocrotalus, commonly known as the pink-backed pelican, is a large waterbird that is found in Africa and parts of Asia. It is a strong swimmer and can often be seen flying in large flocks. It has a distinctive pinkish-brown back and white underparts. It feeds mainly on fish, which it catches by diving into the water. It also uses its long bill to scoop up food from the surface of the water. It is a social bird and can often be seen in large groups, nesting in colonies. It is also known to use its wings to shield itself from predators. It is an important part of the local ecosystem, helping to keep fish populations in check.

How do they defend themselves? Pelecanus onocrotalus, commonly known as the pink-backed pelican, is a large water bird that defends itself from attacks by using its large bill to strike at predators. It also has a large wingspan that it can use to fly away from danger. Additionally, it has a long neck that it can use to reach out and grab potential predators.

How do Great white pelican respond to stimuli in their environment? Vocalizations, Posture, Visual Displays

How do Great white pelican gather food? Pelecanus onocrotalus, commonly known as the pink-backed pelican, is a large water bird that hunts for food by diving into the water from a height and scooping up fish with its large bill. It needs a large body of water to survive, and faces challenges such as competition from other species and the availability of food.

How do Great white pelican communicate in their environment? They use a variety of vocalizations to communicate with other members of their species, such as honks, grunts, and whistles. They also use visual cues, such as head bobbing and wing flapping, to communicate with other birds. They also use body language to communicate with other animals in their environment.

Examples: They use visual displays, such as head nodding and bill clapping; They use vocalizations, such as honks and grunts; They use tactile displays, such as preening and bill touching

How does the Great white pelican get territorial? Defend territory, Claim territory, Establish territory

Diet Summary: Pelecanus onocrotalus primarily feeds on fish, crustaceans, amphibians, reptiles, and insects. It also consumes small mammals, birds, and eggs. Toxic and unhealthy foods for this organism include plastic, garbage, and other human-made materials.

Predators: Pelecanus onocrotalus, commonly known as the pink-backed pelican, is threatened by a variety of predators, environmental changes, and negative impacts to its population growth. These include predation from large birds of prey, such as eagles and hawks, as well as human activities such as hunting, habitat destruction, and pollution. Additionally, climate change has caused a decrease in the availability of food sources, leading to a decrease in the population of this species.

Threats: Habitat Loss, Hunting, Pollution, Pesticides, Disease, Predation by Mammals, Predation by Birds, Fishing, Climate Change

Life cycle: Pelecanus onocrotalus reproduces by laying eggs in a nest made of sticks and reeds. The eggs are incubated for about 28 days before hatching. The chicks are fed by both parents and fledge after about 8 weeks. After fledging, the young birds remain with their parents for another 6-8 weeks before becoming independent. The birds reach sexual maturity at 3-4 years of age.

Average offspring size: 40-60

Most common health issues: Respiratory Infections, Gastrointestinal Infections, Parasitic Infections, Bacterial Infections, Fungal Infections, Viral Infections

Threats: Habitat Loss, Hunting, Pollution, Pesticides, Disease, Predation by Mammals, Predation by Birds, Fishing, Climate Change

Common diseases that threaten the Great white pelican population: Avian malaria, Avian pox, Botulism, Chlamydiosis, Cryptosporidiosis, Erysipelas, Fungal infections, Haemoproteus, Mycobacteriosis, Newcastle disease, Salmonellosis, Trichomoniasis

Population: Pelecanus onocrotalus has seen a steady decline in population over the past decade, with a peak of around 1.2 million individuals in 2010. Since then, the population has decreased by approximately 10% each year, with the most recent estimate of the population being around 890,000 individuals.

How do Great white pelican adapt to their environment Pelecanus onocrotalus, commonly known as the pink-backed pelican, is a large water bird that is able to adapt to its environment by using its long beak to scoop up fish from the water. It also has a large pouch on its lower beak that it uses to store the fish it catches. For example, in the Galapagos Islands, pink-backed pelicans can be seen fishing in the shallow waters of the mangroves.

What's their social structure? Pelecanus onocrotalus is a large bird that is found in wetlands and coastal areas. They are at the top of the food chain, feeding on fish, amphibians, and other small animals. They are social creatures and live in colonies, with the oldest and most experienced birds leading the group. They are also very protective of their family and species, and will work together to defend their territory. They are known to be very vocal, communicating with each other through a variety of calls and displays.

How would you describe their survival instincts? They have a variety of survival instincts that allow them to respond to different stimuli. For example, they use their long beaks to catch fish, their webbed feet to swim, and their wings to fly away from predators. They also have excellent eyesight, allowing them to spot potential threats from a distance.