Great White Pelican
A huge white pelican with a large bill pouch, fishing cooperatively in flocks.
Overview
A huge white pelican with a large bill pouch, fishing cooperatively in flocks.
History & Origin
The Great White Pelican occurs naturally in Eurasia / Africa. Seabirds (gulls, albatrosses, petrels, shearwaters, penguins, auks and allies) spend most of their lives at sea, nesting on coasts and remote islands across every ocean.
Appearance & Size
It is a Large (140-175cm) bird. They show webbed or paddle-like feet, salt-excreting nasal glands and specialised plumage; albatrosses have the largest wingspans of any bird, while penguins are flightless underwater specialists.
Temperament & Behavior
Seabirds are colonial, pelagic and superbly adapted to the marine environment; most are long-lived and slow to breed, making them vulnerable to change.
Care & Husbandry
They feed on fish, squid and zooplankton, caught by surface-seizing, plunge-diving or deep pursuit underwater. Keeping seabirds is limited to zoos and rehabilitation centres; they need spacious marine or cold enclosures, salt-water pools and a fish-based diet with vitamin supplementation.
Health & Lifespan
Major threats are bycatch, plastic ingestion and oil pollution; in care, aspergillosis, trauma and starvation dominate. Many species naturally live 10-30 years or more.
Popularity & Recognition
The wandering albatross has the largest wingspan of any living bird and can stay airborne for days; seabirds are vital sentinels of ocean health.
