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Dalmatian Pelican

 
Animal Encyclopedia: Dalmatian pelican

Pelecanus crispus

TAXONOMY

Pelecanus crispus Bruch, 1832, Dalmatia. Monotypic.

OTHER COMMON NAMES

English: Curly-headed pelican; French: Pélican fris; German: Krauskopfpelikan; Spanish: Pelícano Ceñudo.

PHYSICAL CHARACTERISTICS

Large birds, 63–71 in (160–180 cm); 20–29 lb (9–13 kg); male larger than female. Silvery-white shaggy or curly crest and brownish black wingtips.

DISTRIBUTION

Breeds locally from southeastern Europe to China. Winters from the Balkans through southeast China.

HABITAT

Lakes, rivers, deltas, and estuaries where human disturbance is minimal. Breeds on islands or among tall emergent vegetation.

BEHAVIOR

May display antagonistic behavior in the form of bill clattering and gaping, especially when defending nest sites. Male emits hisses and spitting sounds in concert with bowing display during courtship.

FEEDING ECOLOGY AND DIET

Less likely than other big pelicans to fish in large flotillas; usually feeds alone, in pairs, or in trios. Takes a wide variety of both freshwater and marine fish, including eels (Anguilla), carp (Cyprinus and Carassius), and rudd (Scardinius).

REPRODUCTIVE BIOLOGY

Breeds in smaller colonies than many other large pelicans. Onset of breeding varies widely depending on climate; may be as

early as February or as late as August. Nests are constructed from plant material and bonded with excreta and frequently exceed 3 ft (1 m) in height and diameter. Two eggs are typically laid and incubated for 31–34 days. Chicks are hatched naked but develop white feathers within a month. Nestlings aggregate in crèches by seven weeks of age; fledge at 12 weeks; independent at 15 weeks.

CONSERVATION STATUS

Downlisted from Vulnerable to Conservation Dependent by BirdLife International at the close of the twentieth century. General population decline accelerated dangerously in the twentieth century due to reduction of wetland habitat, hunting, and overall human molestation including purposeful eradication by fishermen. Comprehensive conservation measures in Europe, including reintroduction of zoo-bred birds, are beginning to show results.

SIGNIFICANCE TO HUMANS

Prone to disturbance by tourists. Blamed for reduction in fish stocks. Bills are prized by traditional Mongolian herders who continue to hunt them.

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Wikipedia: Dalmatian Pelican
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Dalmatian Pelican
Conservation status
Scientific classification
Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Chordata
Class: Aves
Order: Pelecaniformes
Family: Pelecanidae
Genus: Pelecanus
Species: P. crispus
Binomial name
Pelecanus crispus
Bruch, 1832

The Dalmatian Pelican (Pelecanus crispus) is a member of the pelican family. It breeds from southeastern Europe through Asia to China in swamps and shallow lakes. The nest is a crude heap of vegetation.

Pelecanus crispus-20030720.jpg

This is the largest of the pelicans, averaging 170–190 cm (67-75 inches) in length, 11–15 kg (24-33 lbs) in weight and just over 3 m (10 ft) in wingspan. On average, it's the world's heaviest flying species, although large male bustards and swans can exceed the pelican in maximum weight. It differs from the White Pelican in that it has curly nape feathers, grey legs and greyish-white (rather than pure white) plumage. It has a red lower mandible in the breeding season. Immatures are grey and lack the pink facial patch of immature White Pelicans. The latter also has darker flight feathers.

This pelican migrates short distances. In flight, it is an elegant soaring bird, with the flock moving in synchrony. The neck is then held back like a heron's.

As is well known, pelicans catch fish and small birds in their huge bill pouches.

Pelecanus crispus at Beijing Zoo.JPG

Like the White Pelican, this species has declined greatly through habitat loss and persecution[clarification needed]. As of 1994, there are around 1,000 breeding pairs in Europe, most of them in Russia, Greece, Romania, Bulgaria and Albania (Karavasta Lagoon).

The Dalmatian Pelican is one of the species to which the Agreement on the Conservation of African-Eurasian Migratory Waterbirds (AEWA) applies.

No subspecies are known to exist over its wide range, but based on size differences, a Pleistocene paleosubspecies Pelecanus crispus palaeocrispus has been described from fossils recovered at Binagady, Azerbaijan.

References

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Animal Encyclopedia. Grzimek's Animal Life Encyclopedia. Copyright © 2005 by The Gale Group, Inc. All rights reserved.  Read more
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