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Great White Pelican

Pelecanus onocrotalus

Photo by Wild Things
Published on Project Noah
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Field Notes

Description:

Great White Pelicans are large birds. 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:

around very large inland water bodies.

Species ID Suggestions

Comments (1)

Added a pic from a recent spotting at Wild Ass Sanctuary.

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