Pelecanus onocrotalus - Great White Pelican
Feather characters. Barbules are from short until medium length (0.3-1.2 mm) and barbules contain stippled pigment of variable concentrations. Borders between cells are visible, but hardly swollen and thus too small to qualify as nodes. These nodal structures (23-26 per mm) have about the same size along the entire length of the barbules, only slightly decreasing towards the tip. Villi are absent and internodes are straight. Location of prongs varies, but they are always present on distal end of barbules and on both sides of the pennulum. Their length varies but the longest prongs may reach a length between half and the entire length of the adjacent internode.
Field characters
Size 140-175 cm. Weight: male up to 11000 g, female up to 10000 g (Cramp (chief ed.) 1977). Huge bird with enormous wing-span (270-360 cm). Body and wings white, except for black outer primaries and primary coverts; long yellowish bill with gular sac and fleshy legs. In breeding season, plumage attains a rosy tinge and both sexes grow a short, ragged crest on hind crown. Yellowish feathers at base of neck and red eyes are visible only at short distance. Juvenile buff-brown; immatures whiter and more mottled than adults. Flight majestic, with strong, powerful wing-beats, alternated by short glides; head pressed against shoulders. Flocks travel in lines or in V-formation during migration or on feeding flights.
Voice. Flight-call is a deep, quiet croak.
Distribution. Scarce and local breeding bird and summer visitor. Map: see MapIt.
Habitat. Breeds among dense wetland vegetation in low-lying, shallow waters, marshes, lagoons, and estuaries.
Food. Catches fish through scooping motion of bill and gular sac; practices co-operative fishing whereby birds move forward in semicircle.