American Brown Pelican

Pelicans have some of the longest beaks in the avian world, with sizes approaching half a metre in length. Acting like a net, their pouch-like beaks can hold up to 13 litres of water. They use their beaks to scoop up fishes and drain the water before swallowing their catch! They also use their beaks for preening as you can see this juvenile pelican in the picture. The fact that it has dots on its forehead points to the fact that it is a juvenile.During courtship displays, pelicans clap their bill and flap their pouch repeatedly.Pelicans have no nostrils and they breathe through their beaks.Their beaks can hold upto 3 buckets of fish,