Pink-backed Pelican
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| Pink-backed Pelican | ||||||||||||||
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| Pelecanus rufescens Gmelin,, 1789 |
The Pink-backed Pelican (Pelecanus rufescens) is a member of the pelican family of birds. It is a resident breeder in Africa, southern Arabia and Madagascar in swamps and shallow lakes. The nest is a large heap of sticks, into which 2-3 large white eggs are laid. The chicks feed by plunging their heads deep into the adults pouch and taking the partially digested regurgitated fish.
This is a small pelican, but the wingspan is still around 2.4m. It is much smaller and duller than the Great White Pelican. The plumage is grey and white, with a pink back. The top of the bill is yellow and the pouch is usually greyish. Breeding adults have long feather plumes on the head.
Food is usually fish and amphibians and is usually obtained by fishing in groups.af:Kleinpelikaan uk:Рожевоспинний пелікан