A pelican is a large water bird with a distinctive pouch under the beak, belonging to the bird family Pelecanidae.
Along with the darters, cormorants, gannets, boobies, frigatebirds, and tropicbirds, pelicans make up the order Pelecaniformes. Modern pelicans, of which there are eight species, are found on all continents except Antarctica. They occur mostly in warm regions, though breeding ranges reach 45° south (Australian Pelican, P. conspicillatus) and 60° North (American White Pelicans, P. erythrorhynchos, in western Canada). Birds of inland and coastal waters, they are absent from polar regions, the deep ocean, oceanic islands, and inland South America.
Pelicans swim well with their short, strong legs and their feet with all four toes webbed (as in all birds placed in the order Pelecaniformes). The tail is short and square, with 20 to 24 feathers. The wings are long and have the unusually large number of 30 to 35 secondary flight feathers. A layer of special fibers deep in the breast muscles can hold the wings rigidly horizontal for gliding and soaring. Thus they can exploit thermals to commute over 150 km (100 miles) to feeding areas.
Pelicans rub the backs of their heads on their preen glands to pick up its oily secretion, which they transfer to their plumage to waterproof it.
Read and learn more about the Pelicans here
Hi my friends,
thank you very much for all the kind comments to my sunset photos from yesterday. I knew it you'll like them. It was indeed a breathtaking sunset!
Today I have a little post about pelican birds. We see them flying here in Florida at the coast and at the beaches, they are everywhere. They fly around in groups or there are also single ones, like this one in my photo today. I think he was a sort of recovering from probably broken legs, because he couldn't walk very well. That gave me the opportunity to get close enough to him to get this photo. He looks beautiful!
Looking forward to see you tomorrow again.
Susanne
CALENDARS 2010, do you still need one? I have some left for you....
Pelican waiting for food
Available in:
8" x 10" - $ 28.00 Buy with PayPal
11" x 14" - $ 35.00 Buy with PayPal
Larger sizes can be made on request
Available in:
8" x 10" - $ 28.00 Buy with PayPal
11" x 14" - $ 35.00 Buy with PayPal
Larger sizes can be made on request
