1. Great white pelican – Pelecanus onocrotalus
Great white pelican is a large bird with a body length of 140-175 cm, a wingspan of 245-295 cm, and a weight of 10-12 kg. In an adult, the plumage of the upper body is white, the bottom of the body is pink, there is a characteristic bang on the head. Great white pelican has a long neck, a large beak and a skin bag under the beak with which it catches fish.
Great white pelican is common in Europe, Asia and Africa. In Ukraine, it nests in the south of the country, on the coast of the Black and Azov Seas.
Great white pelican is a migratory bird. It winters in Africa and South Asia. Great white pelican breeds in shallow water, among reeds or other coastal vegetation. It builds its nests on the ground, in a small pit. There are 2-3 eggs in great white pelican's clutch. The eggs are incubated by the female and the male in turn. Chicks hatch after 33-35 days. After hatching, the chicks grow quickly and begin to fly after a few weeks.
Great white pelican feeds on the fish it catches, scattering a skin bag under its beak.
Great white pelican is a fairly common species, but in some regions its number is decreasing. The reasons for this are the destruction of habitats, poaching and the use of pesticides.
In Ukraine, great white pelican is listed in the Red Book in the status of "Disappearing".
Photo: Volodymyr Kucherenko