A variety of birds, the pelican is a bachelor and others. Pink pelican bird. Description, features, lifestyle and habitat. Distribution and habitats
Even this wonderful bird can be recognized Small child. Only the pelican has such a unique beak. There are about eight species of pelicans on the entire planet.
They differ slightly in size and shape. These differences depend on their habitat. Pelican bird quite large. Its length can be up to 1.8 meters, and its wingspan is about three meters.
Average weight birds can reach up to 14 kilograms. Distinctive feature from all other birds is the beak of the pelican.
It is five times the length of its head. No other bird has such a spacious and large beak.
The leather pouch located directly under the beak can hold up to 15 liters of water. This “device” helps these birds catch fish.
In it they can carry about four kilograms of it. The pelican also differs from all other birds in its pink feathers
All pelicans, without exception, spend the bulk of their existence in water. They are excellent divers and swimmers. Moving with difficulty on land, they soar into the skies with amazing grace.
Look at the pelican, what a wonderful bird it is. So clumsy and funny on the ground, he turns into a real beauty of the air when he rises up and flaps his giant wings and begins a majestic flight.
Pelicans fly in a long wedge formation. They flap their wings with strength and deliberateness. The rhythm and flapping of the wings depends on the leading bird. The pace she sets is the pace everyone else follows.
It was noticed that while fishing, pelicans are lined up in a wedge. Pelican bird photo captivates with its majestic beauty, especially in flight. They are incredibly beautiful and fabulous. This unnatural beak attracts everyone's attention.
Pelican bird description especially interesting when he saw the prey. His transformation occurs instantly.
They, folding their huge wings in half, being at a height of 3 to 10 meters and opening their beak, quickly go under the water.
This is somewhat reminiscent of a torpedo. Through a short time The pelican emerges with prey in its beak.
The pelican throws back water from its subcutaneous pouch and swallows its prey with appetite.
Features and habitat of the pelican
There are several signs by which you can easily distinguish a pelican from all other birds:
Large body, with slight clumsiness.
Incredibly large wings, with a span of up to three meters.
Disproportionately short legs with visible webbing.
Long, curved neck.
Big, unusual beak with a loot bag.
This waterfowl simply needs a body of water nearby. The banks of rivers, seas and lakes are just what they need. Reservoirs rich in fish are their favorite habitat.
Such an unusual beak structure and too Long neck with a bend gives every chance to compare the pelican with prehistoric animals. These are truly the most ancient birds. They have existed on earth for about 20 million years.
They are migratory birds. They live mainly in the south of Europe, near the Caspian rivers, in Africa and on the Aral Sea.
Pelican waterfowl prefer to live in large flocks, sometimes containing up to 10,000 birds. But sometimes it happens that one of the couples fights off total number and lives separately.
Character and lifestyle of the pelican
There is no hierarchy in a flock of pelicans. But, living in such a friendly company, they thus ensure their safety.
The vigilant observers who are among them inform the entire flock about the approaching danger, and then it’s a matter of technology to collectively scare and drive away the enemy.
They are very friendly with each other. Only occasionally do pelicans have minor conflicts over prey or nest building material.
Their duel consists of rivals fighting each other with large beaks. This bird needs a good run to take off.
A pelican can easily soar in the air, using air currents to help. When flying over long distances, the hardest thing is for the leader, who sets the pace of the flight, so they periodically replace each other.
Interesting feature pelicans - they prefer to swallow fish only with the head towards them, for this they, throwing it in the air, try to turn it around.
Where is the pelican bird and how does it displace its prey? This is happening quite interestingly. Several dozen pelicans stand in one row and drive the fish into one corner with their wings.
We mentioned the beak a little higher, so it is already well known where the pelican bird puts the fish - into its huge beak.
Pelican food
The main food for pelicans is fish. Carp, pike, perch, galyan - this is their favorite delicacy. In salty reservoirs they get gobies, mullet and toads.
Closer to the sea equators, crabs and shrimp become their delicacy. The daily diet of one adult pelican is about 2 kg of fish.
If for some reason there are not enough fish in the reservoirs, pelicans eat birds. Seagulls and ducks are most often attacked by them.
After the pelican caught the bird, he for a long time holds it under water until the bird drowns, then eats it, starting from the head.
Pelican reproduction and lifespan
These birds choose trees or bushes for nests. They are built mainly from twigs. Sometimes several pairs live in one large nest.
They insulate it big amount twigs, feathers, leaves and droppings. Large pelicans choose the ground for nesting, in dense grass thickets or reeds.
Sometimes you can see a pelican's nest right on the rocks. Their own feathers serve as building material.
Some people are mistaken when they think that Pelicans are the only birds that do not lay eggs. They, like all other birds, lay eggs.
The female sits on the eggs for about a month, usually there are 2 to 3 of them. Newborn pelican chicks remain helpless for about two weeks.
Only after this time has passed do they fledge, but for another two months the parents take full charge of caring for them. The lifespan of pelicans is about 20 years.
Russian name- Pink Pelican
English name e - Great white pelican
Latin name
- Pelecanus onocrotalus
Squad- Pelican-like animals (Pelecaniformes)
Family- Pelicans (Pelecanidae)
Genus- Pelicans (Pelecanus) 8 species in total
The pelican is a representative of one of the most ancient orders of birds, the owner of a huge throat pouch, thanks to which the bird is easily recognizable.
Status of the species in nature
The pink pelican is listed as a species currently of Least Concern on the International Red List with IUCN (LC) status.
Species and man
The history of pelican-human relationships spans thousands of years and ranges from worship to competition.
The Egyptians, for example, kept pelicans as decorative pets; the birds walked calmly around the palace gardens. Muslims considered this bird sacred; According to legend, a pelican participated in the construction of the Kaaba in Mecca. The first Christians saw in the pelican a symbol of limitless fatherly love and self-sacrifice: to feed the chicks, the pelican sacrifices its own entrails! This legend was inspired by the behavior of chicks who crawl so deeply into their parents’ throats for food that it seems they are taking out not pieces of fish, but bloody body parts of an adult bird. In the works of the Middle Ages - in numerous works illustrated with miniatures, and on many coats of arms - the pelican is present as a symbol of martyrdom and holiness. The legend of a pelican sacrificing itself to save its offspring has survived centuries and has survived to this day; many people still believe in it today.
Despite the sympathy the bird evokes, there is a category of people who are not so kind to it. Fishermen living near pelican colonies believe that the birds cause damage to them as competitors in the fishing industry. They chase pelicans and destroy their colonies. Birds also suffer from the indirect consequences of their proximity to humans, in particular, the growing exploitation of reed thickets devastates nesting areas.
Distribution and habitats
Fossils of pelican ancestors have been found in rocks dating back about 100 million years. Bones of birds very similar to modern pelicans are found in sediments dating back 10 thousand years. Paleontological studies have established that pelicans were much more widespread in Europe than they are now; they were found in Germany and even in Great Britain.Currently, their range is much further south. In areas with temperate climate pelicans are not found. Pink pelicans nest mainly in the deltas of rivers flowing into the Caspian and Black Sea, on lakes Manych-Gudilo, Balkhash, on reservoirs of Asia Minor and in North-East Africa. They winter on lakes in southern Africa. There are local, non-migratory populations in northeastern Africa from Senegal to Lake Nyasa, in northwestern Hindustan and Indochina.
In Russia, in the northern Caspian Sea, birds appear in the spring as early as March and, before nesting begins, stay in groups at the site of future colonies. Nesting colonies are located in shallow areas of reservoirs, in reeds, where floating islands are formed from dead plant stems on which birds make nests. Birds can also make nests on sandy islands. In such cases, they prefer open areas with the best view.
Appearance and morphology
The pink pelican is a large, massive bird with a clumsy body and huge wings. An adult bird weighs 10–11 kg, males are slightly larger than females. The wingspan reaches 3.5 m, like those of huge soaring birds - the wandering albatross and the Andean condor. The legs are short, the neck is long. For swimming, the legs of pelicans, like all waterfowl, are equipped with membranes. However, in ducks, for example, only the three front fingers are connected by membranes. The first finger, free and short, faces backward and does not participate in the movement. In pelicans, it is quite long, directed inside the leg and connected by a membrane to the other toes, which provides better movement in the water. When landing, the membrane acts as both an air brake and a water brake.
All birds whose life is connected with water have a well-developed coccygeal gland; in the pelican it is very large. A tuft of short feathers grows on it and there are 7–9 slotted holes. The pelican lubricates its feathers with the secretion of this gland, which increases their water resistance and reduces water resistance.
A distinctive feature of the pelican is its beak, the length of which is 4–5 times the length of its head, and the skin throat pouch, which can stretch very much. The pink pelican has a throat pouch with a volume of about 12 liters. At the end of the beak there is a sharp hook that helps to hook the fish. The throat sac, the walls of which are penetrated by a large number of blood vessels, also serves as a thermostat, like the ears of an elephant. In hot weather, the pelican stretches the bag and moves it sharply, which increases blood circulation through thin blood vessels, somewhat cooling it when in contact with air.
The coloring of both sexes is the same, almost white, with a pinkish tint. The flight feathers of the wings are black, with a white shaft. Around the eyes, behind the eyes, on the forehead and on lower jaw there are unfeathered areas. On the head of the pink pelican there is a crest of elongated, pointed feathers. The throat sac is yellowish, brightest in adult birds. mating season. Legs yellow or pinkish.
The plumage of pelicans does not fit tightly to the body, thus reducing specific gravity birds. Like other birds, pelicans have lightweight bones, and a special cellular structure, reminiscent of a system of struts, gives greater density to the bones. But pelicans are given even greater “lightness” by special air “sacs” inside their bodies. They envelop the lungs abdominal organs and bones, especially in the wings. These air-filled structures help the massive birds stay in the air, but they also prevent them from diving.
On land, the pelican looks clumsy, but it is an excellent flyer, making about 70 strokes per minute during flight and being able to soar like birds of prey.
Feeding and feeding behavior
Pelicans feed on fish, and can catch and swallow big fish. The daily requirement is 900-1200 g. These birds cannot dive and, when catching fish, they submerge their neck and front part of the body.
Pelicans often organize collective fishing: from 6 to 20 birds line up in a semicircle and, flapping their beaks and wings on the reins, drive a school of fish into shallow water, where they catch them with their “net.” Having caught prey, the pelican first pours water out of its beak, then swallows the food. If a large fish is caught, the bird first throws the fish up, trying to catch it by the head, so that when swallowed, it will not damage its esophagus with its sharp fins.
Lifestyle and social organization
The main activity of pelicans, like other daytime birds, is confined to the morning and evening hours. During the day, the birds rest.
Pelicans are flocking birds. All their life activities - feeding, nesting, migration, rest - take place in each other’s company. About a single bird, you can confidently say that it is lost, injured, or sick. The size of the flock can vary from 10–12 to several thousand individuals, depending on the time of year, the type of activity and the number of birds in the area.
Living upright has its advantages: firstly, it is easier to spot a predator and it is easier to resist it. Secondly, joint fishing increases the efficiency of fishing: it makes it easier to find schools of fish and catch them. The actions of pelicans when driving fish are so coordinated that they seem to be guided by an invisible conductor. Such a high degree of cooperation is observed only among upelicans.
It is impossible to single out a leader among the members of the flock; each bird joins in and takes its place equally with the others. Only adult birds have some advantage over immature ones; they occupy best places When fishing, they get the best catch.
Aggressive interactions between birds are observed when attempting to steal prey, or construction material for the nest. Serious fights are rare, but the sharp hook at the end of the beak of pelicans can inflict serious wounds.
Vocalization
The sounds made by pelicans are dull grumbling, growling and grunting, very low. Pelicans “sound” mainly in the nesting colony; the rest of the time the birds are mostly silent.
Reproduction and raising offspring.
The regions are bright pronounced seasonality Nesting occurs in the spring, in Africa - all year round. Having arrived at the nesting site, the birds form pairs. Marriage ritual is a complex dance, during which partners alternately rise into the air and descend, making peculiar muttering sounds. In the end, they rub their beaks and evaporate. The male and the female do not separate until the raising of the chicks is completed.
The female chooses the site for the nest. Usually these are low sandy or loamy islands and vast tracts of reeds. In the selected area, the female scrapes the soil with her beak, and the male begins to collect material for the nest. He brings it in his beak in a needle bag and places it in front of his friend, who is sorting these building materials. Females have to be especially vigilant during this period, since males often steal the nesting material of their neighbors. Nests can be located very close to each other, almost right next to each other.
An upelican egg usually contains two eggs, which the parents incubate alternately. After a month, completely naked, bright pink chicks hatch. During the first two weeks of life, the chicks feed on a kind of gruel that is regurgitated by their parents. Gradually they move on to semi-digested and then fresh fish, removing it from its parent crop. At the same time, the chick almost hides in the huge beak of an adult bird and “emerges” from there, gray-haired, in its own beak. This spectacle is so impressive that it inspired the creation of the legend of the Opelian, which feeds its chicks with its own entrails.
The first downy plumage of dark brown color appears on the chicks on the 8th–10th day. Gradually, the color of the chicks acquires a reddish tint, then becomes lighter. The birds finally put on their adult attire only in the third year of life.
At three to four weeks of age, the chicks unite under the supervision of several adult birds. This allows collective fishing for the maximum number of birds in the colony at the same time. The parents return to the fishing grounds full of food for the chicks. Pelican cubs acquire the ability to swim and fish when they are about two months old, after which they leave the nursery. During this time, they can dive and swim underwater for a short time, which they do when in danger. Young birds begin to fly at the age of 2.5 months, and become adults only at 3–4 years.
Lifespan
In captivity, pelicans live up to 30 years, in nature - less.
Pink pelicans at the Moscow Zoo
The oldest living pink pelicans arrived at the zoo as youngsters in 1988. Despite the fact that the birds were born in freedom, they are not at all afraid of people and are very trusting of them. Pelicans live in the new territory of the zoo in a mixed flock - pink and curly. They spend the summer in a small pond adjacent to the Birds, Butterflies pavilion, and in the winter in the pavilion. They are fed twice a day - pollock, herring, and carp. The pelicans take part of the food from their hands, and throw the other part into the water so that the birds can catch it themselves.
In captivity, pink pelicans rarely give birth; for many years the birds lived in the zoo without reproducing. The first chick was born only in 2013. Since then, pelicans have been building nests and raising chicks every year. The pairs are stable, but each bird has its own character. For an aquatic couple, for example, both parents take turns warming the eggs, while the other, very caring father, almost prevents his girlfriend from incubating. At first she tried to argue with him, but then she resigned herself.
The upelican breeding season has finally moved into winter, so the chicks hatch in March. This happens in the warm room of the pavilion, where visitors can see nests and chicks. When the pond thaws, the pelicans are released outside, the chicks are already grown up, but still in “children’s” plumage, they are easy to recognize. Some of the young birds are leaving for other zoos.
Pelicans are one of the largest waterfowl. Despite their impressive size, these birds are capable of flying to a height of up to three kilometers. Although they belong to the category of exotic and the geography of their residence is very wide, they can be found on all continents Globe in tropical and subtropical zones except Antarctica.
Pelican (rose-backed species) and two herons in Tanzania. 
Pelican and heron in Tanzania.
Appearance
The body of pelicans is massive and rather clumsy - their length varies from 1.3 m to 1.8 m, and their weight, depending on the species, ranges from 7 to 14 kg. They have a long beak, neck and wings, and their legs are very short. It’s worth looking at a photo of a pelican and all attention is immediately drawn to the throat pouch located on the underside of the beak. It is a stretchable leather bag, which is the main assistant in catching fish; the beak of birds is also unusual - very powerful and heavy with a hook at the end, and can reach more than 45 cm in length.
The feathers of pelicans do not fit tightly to the body, so they are prone to getting wet quickly, because of this, pelicans often “squeeze” water out of them with their beak. The color is usually white or white-gray, with a pink tint. During the mating season, the beak and other areas of the head without feathers are brightly colored.
Sexual dimorphism in birds is weakly expressed - females are slightly smaller in size than males and are duller in color than males.
Australian pelican on the water. Nutrition and behavior
Pelicans - predator birds, they feed mainly on fish, less often they catch frogs, toads, crustaceans, and small turtles. This bird needs about a kilogram of fish to feed itself per day.
They snatch the fish out of the water, lowering their heads into the pond. After the bird has caught a fish, it uses its beak to strain water from a five-liter throat sac and swallows the prey. They can also hunt collectively - they begin to flap their wings in the water and use their beaks to knock out frightened fish in the shallow water. Quite often seagulls and cormorants take part in such a hunt.
If you take a photo of pelicans on land, you will immediately see that on the ground they are very clumsy, but once they take off, and they do this without a run-up, they fly surprisingly easily and quickly, and during the flight they can glide on outstretched wings.
Dalmatian Pelican with wide open beak. 
An American white pelican caught a catfish. Reproduction
Birds become ready to breed at the age of three years. Almost all species of pelicans mate for only one season. Nests are built on the ground, in reed creases, on big trees, rocks. The female builds the nest, and the male looks for material. Quite often, several pairs of pelicans build a common nest.
Typically, a clutch contains up to three yellow or bluish eggs with a rough shell. The female incubates the eggs, the male replaces her only when the female goes for food. After 30 - 42 years, newborn pelican chicks are born. The chicks are born completely naked and blind; fluff appears only on the tenth day. Both parents are responsible for feeding - they regurgitate partially digested food from the stomach and feed the chicks directly from the beak. Birds begin to fly quite late - at 70 - 75 days. There is high food competition among chicks; as a rule, only one chick survives.
American brown pelican in a nest with a calf. Pelican species
The pelican family includes 8 species of birds.
Australian pelican - lives in Australia, New Zealand and New Guinea. Despite its small size of 4-7 kg, the bird can eat up to 8 kg of food per day. An interesting fact is that during mating, a male can “court” a female for up to 8 months until she gives her consent.
Australian pelican on the pier. 
Australian pelican in flight. 
Australian pelican showing pouch size. 
A flock of Australian pelicans on the coast. 
A pair of Australian pelicans on the water. 
Australian pelicans on the shore.
Dalmatian pelican - these pelicans are migratory birds, usually settling near hard-to-reach lakes, in the lower reaches and deltas of rivers with a lot of vegetation. People call the bird “Baba Bird”. Couples of this type remain true friend friend for life.
A pair of Dalmatian Pelicans on the water at Colchester Zoo, Essex, Britain. 
Dalmatian pelican with a caught fish in its beak, Herberstein Zoo, Austria. 
Dalmatian pelican in flight. 
Dalmatian pelican catches fish on the fly. 
Dalmatian pelican on the water. 
American white pelican - these birds can be found in Canada and the USA. Another name for these birds is “pelican rhinoceros”, due to the growth in the middle of the beak, which appears on them only during the mating season.
An American white pelican caught a large fish. 
American white pelican in flight over water. 
American white pelican in the sky.
American brown pelican - representatives of this species are the smallest pelicans, their weight is about 4.5 kg, and their body length is no more than 137 cm. The image of this bird adorns the flag of American Louisiana and the coat of arms of Barbados.
American brown pelican in flight. 
American brown pelican on the water. 
An American brown pelican plays with a caught fish. 
American brown pelican in attack flight
Pink pelican - the bird's weight can reach 15 kg. In adult birds, the plumage has a white-pink tint; the colors become especially bright on the abdomen during the mating season. These birds are listed in the Red Book as an endangered species.
A flock of pink pelicans in Namibia.
The gray pelican is rare representative pelicon family. Another name is “Philippine pelicans,” although you can no longer see birds on these islands; they live in the south and southeast of Asia. The peculiarity of this species is that they build nests only in large trees.
Gray pelicans nest on an artificial platform in Uppalapadu, Andhra Pradesh.
Pink-backed pelican - these birds are very similar to pink-backed pelicans, but a little smaller in size and during the mating season, a pinkish-red tint appears on their back, and their head is covered with a large number of curls.
The throat pouch of a pink-backed pelican with its beak raised. 
The throat pouch of a pink-backed pelican with its beak lowered.
Pelecanus thagus - for a long time these birds were classified as Brown Pelicans, and only recently were classified as separate species. They nest only us rocky coast, unlike other species, they do not build nests in trees.
Pelican Pelecanus thagus. Pelicans are large waterfowl, the largest in the order Copepods (Pelican-like). There are 7 species of pelicans, united in a separate pelican family. These birds are related to cormorants, frigatebirds, phaetons and gannets.
Dalmatian pelican (Pelecanus crispus).
Pelicans weigh different types from 7 to 14 kg. They are massive, heavy birds with long wings, neck and beak, and short legs and tail. On the underside of the beak, pelicans have a throat pouch formed by very elastic and durable skin. The wings are relatively narrow, and the legs are very strong. The toes are connected by a swimming membrane, forming a paddling surface. The plumage of pelicans is loose, which makes it possible to reduce the specific weight of these heavy birds; the subcutaneous air sacs also perform the same function. The color of pelicans is often monochromatic and dim: white, gray, brown, pink. Dalmatian and pink pelicans have an elongated tuft of feathers on the back of their heads. Sexual dimorphism in pelicans is not pronounced: males and females look the same, and only the rhinoceros pelican develops a growth on the beak of the males during the mating season.
A male rhinoceros pelican or red-billed pelican (Pelecanus erythrorhynchos) during mating season.
Pelicans live in warm - tropical and subtropical - regions. The most northern species, Dalmatian and Pink Pelicans, making their way south temperate zone(Volga delta, Northern Kazakhstan). Pelicans inhabit inland freshwater bodies ( large lakes and river deltas), and sea coasts. Their range covers Africa, South Asia, South America, Australia, south North America and Europe. Populations warm regions lead sedentary image life, and pelicans nesting in the north of their range fly to wintering in Southeast Asia, Northern and East Africa. Pelicans are gregarious birds, living in groups of 10-50 individuals. These birds have a calm and friendly disposition; members of the flock monitor the behavior of their neighbors, and as soon as one bird finds prey, the rest immediately rush to this place. When hunting, pelicans do not fight over prey, and pink pelicans even help each other to drive fish.
Pink pelican (Pelecanus onocrotalus).
On land, pelicans move slowly and a little clumsily, but they take off quite quickly, almost without a run-up. In the sky, these birds stay confident and surprisingly easy; the flight of the pelican is moderately fast; the birds often glide on outstretched wings; in flight, they fold their necks like herons.
Brown pelican (Pelecanus occidentalis) in flight.
They sit on the water, braking with their paws on the water. Pelicans swim well, but they do not know how to dive; they can only immerse the front part of their body in the water. The exception is the brown pelican, which lives on the coasts of Northern and South America. These birds dive into the water from a height of 3-20 m, folding their wings, the pelican falls into the water like a stone, plunging by inertia several meters into its thickness, but due to developed air sacs that reduce the density of its body, the pelican cannot stay for long underwater and quickly emerges.
Dalmatian pelican during the hunt.
Pelicans feed on fish; less often they catch toads, frogs, crayfish, and crabs. Contrary to popular belief, pelicans do not use their throat pouch to catch fish “in reserve”; they do not store prey in it, but swallow it immediately after being caught.
A pelican in London's St James's Park caught a pigeon. It took him 20 minutes to fight the fluttering bird.
They only need the bag to deliver live prey to the chicks during the nesting period. While hunting, the pelican simply swims and with a keen eye examines the thickness of the water, as soon as it sees a shadow, it immediately plunges its head into the water, opens its beak and catches fish with it like a net. Pink pelicans line up in a chain and together drive the fish into the center of the reservoir; the outer birds in the process of hunting come closer and create a dexterous semi-ring. As soon as the space becomes small enough, all the pelicans, as if on an invisible command, capsize together and catch the fish. In nature, there have been cases of pelicans eating the chicks of gannets, cormorants, gulls, terns and even small penguins. In captivity, pelicans have been known to hunt ducks and pigeons.
These birds breed once a year; species from the northern subtropics and temperate zones nest in the spring (April-May), breeding tropical species timed either to the rainy season, or coincides with the approach of schools of fish to the shores. Pelicans are monogamous birds; they form pairs that last for one season. The mating ritual proceeds quite calmly; males do not engage in fights, but attract females with “songs.” The voice of pelicans is rough and low, reminiscent of mumbling, muttering or roaring.
A pair of spectacled pelicans (Pelecanus conspicillatus).
The female begins to build a nest, and the male supplies her with material. He diligently collects sticks and supplies her with heaps of grass and dirt, filling his bag to the top with them. Pelican nests are large and rough piles of brushwood with almost no bedding; they are often located on the ground, but Philippine and tawny pelicans make nests in trees. Rufous pelicans regularly nest even on buildings in African cities. All types of pelicans willingly tolerate the proximity of other birds in their colonies and often nest together with herons and cormorants.
A brown pelican transports material for nest construction.
In a pelican nest there are usually 3 (less often 1-2) yellowish or bluish eggs with a chalky coating, which the female incubates for 33-35 days. The male replaces her for a short time only during feeding. Pelican chicks hatch completely helpless: they are naked, blind, and a little later they are covered with sparse, sloppy down. They call their parents with a peculiar roar, they first feed the chicks with semi-digested food, which they regurgitate and later bring to the offspring. live fish. The chicks greedily stick their beaks into the parent's bag and work there with all their might so that they seem to tear it, but the parents stoically endure this execution. This is probably where it comes from ancient legend about the pelican tearing open its chest and feeding its chicks with its flesh and blood. Since ancient times, these birds have been considered an example of parental patience and self-sacrifice. Due to food competition, more than one chick rarely survives in a pelican brood. Pelican chicks grow slowly, fledge only after 2 months, and take wings after 70-75 days. Sometimes chicks form “nursery” flocks, in which the parents unerringly look for their chick and feed only it. Young birds are kept separate from adults in bachelor groups. Pelicans become sexually mature at 3 years of age.
Australian pelican with chicks. In other species, the chicks are black.
In nature, pelicans have few enemies, due to large sizes Only crocodiles dare to attack adult birds. Foxes, hyenas, and birds of prey can hunt for chicks. In ancient times, people had respect for pelicans, in no small part due to the beautiful legend of self-sacrifice. Now pelicans are more often regarded as competitors of fishermen, although these birds catch only low-value and diseased fish and thereby improve the health of fish stocks. Moreover, pelicans bring considerable benefits, since, together with cormorants, they are suppliers of valuable organic fertilizer- guano. For the sake of collecting droppings, in South Africa and South American countries they create special platforms in the sea to attract these birds. Guano is 33 times more effective than regular manure. Although pelicans in general are not rare birds, but in separate parts range have become endangered; the Dalmatian pelican is listed in the Red Book. The number of pelicans is negatively affected by habitat destruction, disturbance during nesting, lack of food and water pollution with oil products.
A brown pelican covered in an oil film during an oil spill in Gulf of Mexico.
Especially many birds suffered during the oil spill in the Gulf of Mexico; a special rehabilitation center was organized to save them.
A brown pelican dries its plumage in the sun.
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Some parts of the Bible are confirmed historical documents and archaeological finds. But there are texts Holy Scripture, about which doubts arise: are they simply beautiful legends? Only Scientific research may provide an answer to this question. Sometimes, in order to answer it, you need to reconstruct the era and the events accompanying it bit by bit. Such mysterious texts include the story of Joseph and his brothers.
For his minor concubines, drug lord Pablo Escobar built a closed cottage town with parks, fountains, beaches and porticoes, in the shade of which half-naked dancers entertained him with incendiary movements. The girls could not leave on their own, and many of them disappeared without a trace...
Exactly 90 years ago in Russia the flames of fratricidal violence were blazing with might and main. Civil War. It is with this period that one of the most mysterious pages of Russian history is connected - the fate of the so-called Kolchak gold. With the light hand of treasure hunters and journalists, these two words now mean that part of the gold reserve Russian Empire, which between 1918 and 1920 first fell into the hands of Admiral Alexander Vasilyevich Kolchak, and then disappeared without a trace somewhere in the vast expanses of Russia.
Natural disasters, revenge of an angry God, killer robots, UFO invasion, nuclear war... From year to year, scientists, astrologers, historians, clairvoyants, religious figures predict another Armageddon for humanity. The inhabitants of planet Earth are terrified of the end of the world. But when and how will it happen?
The great conqueror Alexander the Great died suddenly. This happened on June 13, 323 BC. A few days before the campaign against Carthage, which could change the history of mankind. What happened to the 33-year-old warrior? Modern scientists suggest that greatest commander of all times and peoples were buried... alive.