THE ANIMAL FILES

Great white pelican

Pelecanus onocrotalus

A pouch takes in the water, then lets the water go.

The great white pelican mainly catches fish with a bill and expandable pouch. Feeding often brings several birds together in shallow water, while long wings carry flocks between resting and feeding areas.[1]

Follow the evidence ↓
Great white pelican
Image: Charles J. Sharp · Commons · CC BY-SA 4.0
Main food
Fish[1]
Pouch
Scoops prey and drains water[1]
Young
Both parents provide care[1]

Scoop, drain, swallow

When the bill enters water, the lower bill bows outward and the pouch fills. Lifting the head allows water to be expelled while fish are retained. The pouch works in capturing a meal, rather than as a permanent underwater storage bag.[1]

A curved line of fishing birds

Birds may arrange themselves in a horseshoe and dip their bills together, corralling schooling fish in shallow water. Cooperation is common, but individuals also forage alone. Fish choice varies with the locally available species.[1]

From colony to nursery

Many birds breed together. Most populations nest on the ground, with nesting materials lining a scrape. Chicks hatch bare, develop dark down and are cared for by both parents; older chicks gather into groups before flight develops.[1]

A COMMON MIX-UP

Does every pelican fish alone?

No. Great white pelicans often coordinate in groups, although solitary feeding also occurs.[1]

TRY A LITTLE REASONING

Why must water leave the pouch before the meal is swallowed?

Reveal the explanation

The scoop captures water along with fish. Draining separates much of that water from the retained prey.[1]

Sources & editorial notes

Adapted and translated from the cited Wikipedia revisions, with source-linked reasoning. Image credit and licence are listed separately above.

Adapted and translated from Wikipedia contributors; exact revisions are linked below. CC BY-SA 4.0

  1. Wikipedia contributors — Great white pelican (fixed revision; adapted and translated)
  2. NCBI Taxonomy — Pelecanus onocrotalus (identity and classification)

Last fact check:

One discovery leads to another

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