Pelicans are large white, water birds with long beaks and a large throat pouch.

The Dalmation Pelican (Pelecanus crispus) lives in the Northern Hemisphere, from south-eastern Europe to India and China. It has dirty-grey feathers, with curly feathers on its neck, a pale pink beak with a pale-yellow pouch, pale blue eyes with a white eye-ring, and grey legs. It is the largest pelican. It is 1.6-1.8 metres (4.6-5.7 feet) long with a wingspan of 2.7-3.2 metres (8.9-10.5 feet).

The Australian Pelican (Pelecanus conspicillatus) lives in the Southern Hemisphere, in Australian and some surrounding islands, such as Fiji. It has neat features with distinctly black back feathers, a pink beak with a pink pouch, and black eyes with a yellow eye-ring. It is 1.6-1.9 metres (5.2-6.2 feet) long with a wingspan of 2.5-3.4 metres (8.2-11.2 feet).

The Great White Pelican (Pelecanus onocrotalus) lives in the Mediterranean and in Africa (eastern and southern Africa). It has grey back feathers, a pink beak with yellow pouch, dark eyes with a white eye-ring, and pink legs. It is 1.4-1.8 metres (4.6-5.7 feet) long with a wingspan of 2.5-3.0 metres (8.0-9.7 feet).

The Pink-Backed Pelican (Pelecanus rufescens) lives in Africa and southwestern Arabia. It has scruffy grey and white feathers on its back (sometimes pinkish), a yellow beak with a grey pouch, dark eyes with a white eye-ring, and pink legs. It is 1.3 metres (4 feet) long with a wingspan of 2.7-2.9 metres (8.7-9.5 feet).

 

 

Photographer: Martina Nicolls

Martina Nicolls: SIMILAR BUT DIFFERENT IN THE ANIMAL KINGDOM