Curly Pelican - description, habitat, interesting facts

Curly Pelican is a migratory nesting bird of the Pelican family. Very similar to the pink pelican with the exception of size - curly larger. A distinctive feature of the bird are curly feathers on the crown of the head and back of the neck. A peculiar hairstyle, a large beak and the burly size of a clumsy body caused the second name of the bird - Baba. However, birds of this species feel awkward only on land, but in the air and on water they simply have no equal.

Curly Pelican Appearance

The body length of large males reaches almost two meters. Wingspan 3-3.5 meters. The beak of the pelican is very long, reaching half a meter. The weight of a medium-sized bird is 10-12 kg, in some cases it can reach one and a half tens of kilograms. Long curly feathers on the head and back of the head form a kind of mane or hairstyle that favorably emphasizes the elegance of the individual. The throat sac has a bright orange color, and during the nesting period acquires a reddish hue. Paws are dark gray, almost black. By the amount of curly hair on the back of the head and on the head you can judge the age of the pelican - the older the bird, the more “curly” her hair is.

Habitat

Curly Pelican Migration

Curly pelicans are migratory birds, which you can hardly find in Russian latitudes in winter. Feathered birds leave for wintering in rather large flocks of three hundred individuals and even more. Quite often flocks are mixed, that is, curly pelicans fly side by side with classic pink counterparts. In a migratory flock, birds try to stay close enough to each other, however, pelicans fly to small breeding sites in small groups, pairs, and even alone. In spring, a curly pelican returns home among the first birds. Depending on the weather and territory, the first pelicans can be found already in late February and early March. Birds fly away for the winter too late. In some cases, if the winter in the region is not very severe and large bodies of water do not freeze completely, then pelicans remain. However, in our country this happens quite rarely, only isolated cases.

Breeding and nesting curly pelican

Pelicans reach maturity in the third year of life, from the very arrival of birds keep in pairs, this makes it possible to assume that pelicans are monogamous. As a rule, nesting occurs in small groups of 5-10 pairs. Sometimes curly pelicans nest in large flocks along with other birds - cormorants and pink pelicans. However, in this case, individuals try to stay on the edge of the main group, as if isolating their tribal affiliation.

Mating games of a curly pelican are very interesting, the male tries in every possible way to win the attention of the desired lady (if the couple has not yet been formed). A young gentleman walks around the female, approaching her and moving away from her.He flaps his wings, rubs against the female by the neck, cleans her wings with a beak, that is, he “cares” in every possible way. When the female agrees to courtship, mating takes place, during which the male actively flaps its wings.

Immediately after mating, an enhanced nest building process begins. Nests are usually built either ashore in dense vegetation or on floating islands. A nest is a large amount of dry grass and reed mixed for strength with droppings. As a rule, nests are located at least a meter from the surface of the water, but over time, when the chicks hatch and begin to grow, the nest slowly lowers due to increased weight, almost to the very edge of the water. Curly pelicans, as a rule, lay one clutch of white eggs with a rough surface, very rarely two clutches can happen during the season.

The female incubates mainly eggs, but the male is ready to replace her when mom goes to feed - morning and evening. It is very difficult to find curly pelican eggs in the thickets, as they are hidden in the thick of the vegetation. Only after the chicks hatch, they become potential prey for predators, because it is not difficult to find them by squeak. For this reason, nearly half of all hatched chicks die.

Interesting facts about curly pelicans

A curly pelican is listed in the Red Book as an endangered species. People should protect the population of these birds in every possible way, because they are not just surprisingly beautiful - it is interesting to watch them.

1. Millions of years ago, the ancestors of the pelicans were very large, their weight was more than fifty kilograms.
2. The pelican's beak reaches almost half a meter, and the lower bag, if necessary, stretches more than 5 times. This allows the bird to carry huge food supplies.
3. Pelicans spend most of their time in the water, so they often have to wring out their feathers. To do this, the bird clamps the feathers with its beak and literally runs in such a way along the entire length to get rid of excess heavy moisture. This is the most frequent activity for which you can watch the pelican.
4. A curly pelican can be called a silent bird, which for the most part does not make any sounds at all. The muffled roar of a pelican can be heard only during the nesting period.
5. Unlike other waterfowl, a pelican cannot dive for prey under water - it has too light skeleton and a large amount of air between feathers. The pelican is forced to seek food on the surface of the reservoir, although some species have learned to dive to a shallow depth from a flight altitude.
6. It is not necessary for the pelican to grab the fish with the solid part of the beak, it is enough to open the bag and prey gets there, like in fishing nets. And water pours out through small holes - up to five liters.
7. A curly pelican feeds on any fish, even very large ones. Surprisingly, the bird swallows it whole, and the stomach and intestines digest the prey. If necessary, a female pelican can spew incompletely processed food to feed her chicks.

Pelicans are often found in the culture and works of many countries. Among Muslims, for example, a bird is considered sacred, because according to legend, pelicans carried stones in their beaks necessary for the construction of shrines in Mecca. In Europe, the pelican is a symbol of selfless love for children. In Russia, a pelican flaunts on the coat of arms of a pedagogical university. The Pelican is a beautiful and extraordinary bird that we must preserve for the next generation.

Video: pink and curly pelican