Animal Guide

The Dalmatian pelican, one of the world's seven pelican species, is a large-sized bird reaching 1.6 to 1.8 meters in length(approximately 63 to 71 inches) with its wing span exceeding 3 meters (approximately 118 inches). The species is characterized by its lustrous silvery-white plumage, black primaries, and orange-colored mandibular pouch. The Dalmatian pelican lives communally, forming a small group consisting of several birds. It lays two to three eggs at once in a ground nest made of twigs and grasses.
The Dalmatian pelican is distinguished mostly by its long bill reaching 40 centimeters or more (approximately 16 inches or more). The bird can freely stretch its bill lower mandible skin. When the pelican catches its food (mainly consisting of small fish) its mandibular skin stretches like a large pouch. The species scoops up fish together with water as if it were using a net or a sieve. The parent bird stores the catch in its pouch beneath the bill to feed its the chicks. It is amusing to watch the chicks plunge their heads inside the parent's bill and gobble up the fish.
The Dalmatian pelican can dive and swim very skillfully with its well-developed webbed feet. However, it is not graceful when walking on the ground. The way the pelican toddles around looks humorous and attracts plenty of attention at zoos.

The Dalmatian pelican inhabits a long and narrow region from east to west, covering areas such as Southeastern Europe, Southern Russia, the Middle East, India, Mongolia, China and Mongolia Autonomy Region. Throughout the twentieth century the species has lost its breeding grounds and decreased in number due to swampland development and river improvement projects. Moreover, because of its need for a great amounts of fish for food, the species was seen as a problem to fishery and was targeted for extermination. The population of the Dalmatian pelican once dropped down to approximately 4,000 pairs, but has begun to recover as a result of government protection.