The Australian Pelican
April 14th 2009 01:36
Going through my photos, I came across quite a few of pelicans - specifically the Australian Pelican, Pelecanus conspicillatus - which got me wondering why that was.
Well, there are lots of them around for one. They’re huge (don’t need the zoom), they don’t take off when I get close, and they’re quite photogenic with their contrasting black and white feathers and long, pink bills.
I’d chosen some pictures of pelicans to post and thought I’d look for some interesting facts to accompany them and learn a few things while I’m at it.
What I learned was that their bills can hold up to 13 litres and are not used to hold food for lengthy periods of time but are used for the short-term. They use the pouch to net their prey; then they would push their pouches against their breasts to get rid of the water before swallowing.
The bill and pouch change colour during courtship. Half the pouch becomes bright salmon pink and the other half closer to the throat, chrome yellow. Parts of the bill turn to cobalt blue and a black strip also appears from the base to the tip.
The most complementary (albeit slightly perturbing) titbit of information to go with one of my photos, however, has to do with the pelican’s diet.
In periods of starvation, pelicans have been reported to eat seagulls and ducklings. Pelicans are said to hold seagulls under water to drown them before eating them headfirst.
Between a pelican and water… Fly, you fool!
Facts and figures sourced from Australian Museum Online
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