The American white pelican is a water bird and one of the largest remaining birds in the family of waterfowl.
It is distinguished by its multiple swimming abilities and excellent soaring capabilities for long flights.
Let’s learn more about it from teketrek.
American White Pelican fun facts
The American white pelican belongs to the Pelecaniformes order, Pelecanidae family, and Pelecaniformes class.
Its scientific name is Pelecanus erythrorhynchos.
God has endowed the American white pelican with pouches under its skin, throat, chest, and wings to help it breathe while underwater.
It also prevents its feathers from clenching during forceful collisions in the water.
The American white pelican is known as a symbol of peace and beauty in various cultures around the world.
The American white pelicans specification
The body: a large body and heavy weight, long and broad wings with black edges.
The wing: The wing length of the American white pelican ranges from 244-290 cm, American white Pelican size is 127-165 cm, and its weight reaches 30 pounds.
The bill: The legs: relatively short legs ending in webbed feet to aid swimming
The tail: short tail.
The color: primarily white color with black primaries and yellow on the shoulders and wing edges, unlike other species, there are feathers on the cheeks.
The weight: They weigh over 9 kg
The distance between the tips: when their wings are spread, the distance between the tips can reach 3 meters.
The toes: They also have four toes on each foot, with three pointing forward and one backward.
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Behavior of the American white pelican
The American white pelican is a social bird that forms strong bonds with its partner, the couple shares many duties, such as building nests from grass, branches, reeds, and various plants.
It exhibits fidelity in marriage; the couple stays together for life.
The American white pelican strongly protects its nest, and attacks any object that approaches it, whether madly or using its strong beak.
American white pelicans can dive more than 10 meters underwater.
American white pelicans make flapping movements in their wings, and make soft sounds as tricks for the predator to escape.
American white Pelican habitat
These birds are found nesting on lakes from British Columbia and McKenzie to central California and North Dakota.
In winter, they migrate to Mexico and eastern Florida.
They rely heavily on ponds, wetlands, and river estuaries throughout their life cycles.
Furthermore, American white pelicans are divided into two separate groups.
The group west of the Rocky Mountains tend to migrate to the desert, and in the winter to the Pacific coast.
The other group found east of the Rocky Mountains tends to migrate to river valleys.
This includes the Mississippi and Illinois rivers and winter lands along the Gulf Coast.
The groups that do not migrate reside in Texas and Mexico
American White Pelican diet
First of all, American white pelicans do not rush to dive to get food.
It feeds while swimming and gathers in groups in the form of a circle to encircle and trap small fish or a crustacean in order to catch them by lowering their heads into the water and catching the fish with its large beak.
They are meat-eating animals, feeding on fish, especially tilapia and carp as well as small invertebrates and crayfish.
While it locates its prey visually during the day, it feeds collectively and cooperatively
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Reproduction stages of the American white pelican
The American white pelican is monogamous, forming long-term pair bonds and becoming ready to breed at three or four years of age, and they can breed throughout the year.
Pairs build their nests from sticks on the ground or in a specific tree, remaining within colonies along shallow lakes in marshes.
Mating rituals involve the male American white pelican bowing and clapping to attract females, and males may attack other males with their bills if they come too close.
After mating, the female American white pelican lays two eggs and incubates them for 31 days.
The chicks fledge at 75 to 85 days old, and even young pelicans are social birds, remaining in groups for safety in numbers.
FAQs about American white pelicans
How long do American white pelicans live?
The expected lifespan of the American white pelican ranges from 10 to 20 years.
What are the threats to American white pelicans?
Freshwater habitats, the natural habitat of the American white pelican, are at risk of lead contamination from hunting rifles. Lead shot from hunters’ rifles can poison and kill pelicans.
How fast can American white pelicans fly?
American white pelicans can fly at speeds of up to 96 km/h (60 mph).
What are the characteristics of the American white pelican
This large waterbird is characterized by its broad wings, long neck, and massive bill, which gives its head a distinctive elongated shape. It has a thick body, short legs, and a short, square tail. During the breeding season, adults develop a unique projection or horn on the upper mandible near the tip of the bill.
How big is a pelican?
Pelicans are found in lakes, rivers, and coastal areas across various regions of the world.. With some species reaching a length of 180 cm (70 inches), having a wingspan of 3 metres (10 feet), and weighing up to 13 kg (30 pounds), they 2024/04/30 are among the largest of living birds.
Is The American white pelican rare?
The American White Pelican is classified as endangered in Washington, where colonies have vanished from their historical breeding sites around Moses Lake.
In conclusion, The American white pelican is important to emphasize the importance of protecting and conserving this bird species as it contributes to environmental balance.
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