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Great White Pelican

Great White Pelican

Pelecanus onocrotalus

Audubon Illustration

Audubon illustration of Great White Pelican

John James Audubon, Birds of America (1827-1838). Public domain.

Migration Flyway

Showing primary migration corridor(s) for this species

Last Spotted Near You

View on eBirdWikipedia

About the Great White Pelican

The great white pelican (Pelecanus onocrotalus), also known as the eastern white pelican (in contrast to the western pelican of the Americas), rosy pelican or simply white pelican, is a bird in the pelican family. It breeds from southeastern Europe through Asia and Africa, in swamps and shallow lakes. The great white pelican has been rated as a species of least concern on the IUCN Red List of Endangered Species (IUCN). It is listed under Appendix I of the Convention on the Conservation of Migratory Species of Wild Animals, Annexure I under the EU Birds Directive on the Conservation of Wild Birds, and Appendix II of the Berne Convention on the Conservation of European Wildlife and Natural Habitats. It is also listed within 108 Special Protection Areas in the European Union.

Source: Wikipedia

Classification

Scientific name
Pelecanus onocrotalus
Family
Pelicans
Order
Pelecaniformes

Similar species

Other members of the pelicans family recorded in North America — a useful place to start if you are not certain of your identification.

  • American White Pelican Pelecanus erythrorhynchos
  • Brown Pelican Pelecanus occidentalis
  • Pink-backed Pelican Pelecanus rufescens

Know when the Great White Pelican turns up near you

Add it to your watchlist and draw an alert zone around the places you actually bird. Birdr checks eBird reports and tells you when one is seen inside it.

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Gear for spotting Great White Pelican

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