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Great White Pelican

Pelecanus onocrotalus

Description:

Great White Pelicans are large birds with mass of 10 kg (22 lbs), 160 cm (63 in) long and with a 280 cm (110 inch) wingspan. It differs from the Dalmatian Pelican, the only larger species of pelican, by its pure white, rather than greyish-white, plumage, a bare pink facial patch around the eye and pinkish legs. Males are larger than females, and have a long beak that grows in a downwards arc, as opposed to the shorter, straighter beak of the female. Immature birds are grey and have dark flight feathers. In flight, it is an elegant soaring bird, with the head held close to and aligned with the body by a downward bend in the neck. In breeding condition the male has pinkish skin on is face and the female has orangery skin.

Habitat:

Well scattered groups occur from the eastern Mediterranean through to Vietnam and south to South Africa. Sedentary populations are found year-round in Africa, south of the Sahara Desert although these are patchy, occurring mainly in coastal, estuarine areas and around very large inland water bodies.

Notes:

Was spotted in the Paarl Bird Sanctuary

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1 Comment

KarenL
KarenL 11 years ago

Great spot!

Niel
Spotted by
Niel

Drakenstein Local Municipality, Western Cape, South Africa

Spotted on Apr 1, 2012
Submitted on Apr 14, 2012

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