Family:
The Dalmatian pelican is the largest member of the pelican family with short legs and a massive bill. It is one of the heaviest flying species of birds. During the breeding season, its plumage is silvery-white with black-tipped wings. It has a short, scruffy, curly crest, a bright red-orange pouch and upper mandible, while the lower mandible is yellow. The bare skin around its eyes varies in colour from yellow to purple. Its eyes are pale blue-grey, and its legs are grey.
Outside of breeding season, the plumage fades to dull brown or cream, and the bill and pouch turns a muted pinkish-yellow.
Males and females look alike, though females are considerably smaller.
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The Dalmatian pelican feeds almost exclusively on fish, including species such as common carp, perch, eels, catfish, mullet, and northern pike, consuming around 1,200 grams daily. It typically forages alone or in small groups.
The pelican hunts by walking through shallow water in search of prey, then dipping its head to scoop fish into its pouch. Excess water is drained from the sides before the fish is swallowed whole.
On rare occasions, it may also consume crustaceans, beetles, or the eggs and nestlings of small waterbirds.
The Dalmatian pelican breeds in swamps, shallow lakes, rivers, and estuaries across southeastern Europe, extending through Russia, India, and China. During winter, it migrates short distances, with populations from the eastern and northern parts of its range moving to the Middle East, the Indian subcontinent, and the east coast of China.
Fossil and archaeological evidence indicates that the Dalmatian pelican once bred in Britain until medieval times but became locally extinct due to habitat loss caused by wetland drainage.
