Family PELECANIDAE Rafinesque, 1815

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Family PELECANIDAE Rafinesque, 1815

Pelecanidae Vigors, N.A. 1825. Observations on the natural affinities that connect the orders and families of birds. Transactions of the Linnean Society of London 14: 395-517 [409] [emendation].
Type genus:
Pelecanus Linnaeus, 1758.
Secondary source:
Brodkorb, P. 1963. Catalogue of fossil birds. Part 1 (Archaeopterygiformes through Ardeiformes). Bulletin of the Florida State Museum. Biological Sciences 7: 179-293 [265].
Pelecanea Rafinesque, C.S. 1815. Analyse de la nature, ou tableau de l'univers et des corps organises. Palermo (Italy) : Privately Published 224 pp. [Date published April to July] [72] [invalid name; Conserved in the Official List of Family-group Names in Zoology or in the Official List of Generic Names in Zoology. Direction 68].
Type genus:
Pelecanus Linnaeus, 1758.
Secondary source:
Bock, W.J. 1994. History and nomenclature of avian family-group names. Bulletin of the American Museum of Natural History 222: 1-281 [131].
Dysporidae Sundevall, C.J. 1836. Ornithologiskt system. For 1835. Kongliga Vetenskaps Akademiens Handlingar 43-130.
Type genus:
Dysporus Illiger, 1811 [a junior synonym of Sula Brisson, 1760].
Secondary source:
Bock, W.J. 1994. History and nomenclature of avian family-group names. Bulletin of the American Museum of Natural History 222: 1-281 [131].

Introduction

The Pelecanidae includes a single genus consisting of seven species of large, heavily bodied, long straight billed aquatic birds; only the exotic Pelecanus occidentalis has subspecies. The group has a pantropic and subtropic distribution, but only one, P. conspicillatus, has populated Australia; the greater number of species currently occurs within the Afro-Eurasian region. They inhabit temperate and tropical coasts, rivers and inland lakes and occasionally finding temporary refuge in small pondages.

Pelicans are gregarious, gathering in flocks numbering thousands when breeding, or occasionally small flocks when feeding, although single birds are common. They have strong flight, and often use thermals to soar effortlessly. When flight involves moving long distances, V-formations or lines are used by groups. In Australia P. conspicillatus disperses in a nomadic fashion following prevailing weather conditions or after large population explosions when young birds have been known to disperse throughout the south-west pacific. Elsewhere some species are considered to be migratory.

White plumage is the principal colour with some grey, black and brown about the head, wings and tail; one brown species is found in the New World. Sexes appear similar all having the characteristic large throat pouch. Pelicans have long, broad wings and a short stubby but rounded tail. Their anisodactyl feet are solid but short with a vestigial hallux, while the natural body buoyancy and their totipalmate toes make them excellent swimmers. The maxilla is relatively flat, with a shallow central ridge and a hooked tip, the mandible is supplemented by the extremely large and flexible gular pouch. Although pelicans are usually silent, they will utter noises often described as ‘grunts and croaks’ or hisses. Nestlings can be extremely noisy.

Pelicans are regarded as omnivorous feeders, but this is usually restricted to surface feeding fish in inland and coastal waters. Swimming pelicans may form aggregations that herd fish into tight groups, facilitating scoop feeding. They also take some invertebrates and vegetable matter. The gular sac assists in the temporary storage of prey, holding these until excess water is drained and separated from the prey before swallowing.

They are colonial breeders, with thousands of birds gathering on inland lakes. Most pelicans, including P. conspicillatus, are ground nesters making a simple scrape to contain the two (sometimes three) eggs; other species may nest in trees. Prior to the breeding season, adults can assume a colourful pattern on the bill, bare facial skin and gular pouch. The males collect a simplistic series of nesting materials of reeds, grasses or mud and present these for the female to place into a scrape that forms the nest. The eggs are elliptical, white and chalky and are incubated by either parent for 30–37 days. Young are nidicolous, altricial and pink skinned; this colouring persists between four and 14 days then becoming a greyish black colouration followed by a white to blackish down. The young are cared for by both adults although they usually combine into large crèches for 70–80 days until they reach their flying stage.