Click HERE for a web page with additional pictures and some sounds.

(Pelicanus onocrotalus)

By: JRA

Kingdom | Phylum | Class | Order | Family | Genus and Species | Fun Facts | Art and Poetry | Works Cited

Other Pelican Cites

Kingdom: Animilia

• Multicellular

• Heterotroph (must eat other organisms to survive)

• Complex Movement

• Specialized Organs

• Rapid movement

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Phylum: Chordata

• Segmented Body

• Hollow Nerve Chord

• Enlarged Brain

• Complete Digestive System

• Endoskeleton

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Class: Aves

• Horny beak

• No teeth

• Large muscular stomach

• Feathers

• Strong skeleton

• Hard shelled eggs

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Order: Pelicaniformes

• Webbed feet

• Structure called the furculum

• Four toes

• Presence of a throat sac

• Primarily gliders

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Family: Pelicanidae

• Can only reproduce with other pelicans

• Pelicans make up the genus Pelecanus and the family Pelecanidae, of the order Pelecaniformes

• Gular pouch and fully webbed feet

• Large size

• Impressive wingspan

• Short legs

• Distinctive long

• Hooked bill

• Flexible lower mandible

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Genius and Species: Pelicanus onocrotalus

• Largest bird in North America

• Has an enormous wing span

• Its beak is bowl shaped so that it can scoop up fish from the water

• Has white feathers with black and brown on the wings

• Live around lakes, ponds, rivers, and streams

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Fun Facts

• 5 ft (152.5 cm) long with a wingspread of 8 to 10 ft

• Pelicans are heavy-bodied, long-necked birds with large, flat bills

• Ranges from the NW United States to the Gulf and Florida coasts

• They have a distensible pouch

• Louisiana is called the "Pelican State"

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Art and Poetry

The Eastern White Pelican The pelican came in for a dive, A dive that would give him a juicy meal. He got closer to the water, 30 feet, 20 feet, 10 feet. . . And bang!!  He hits the water And gets a huge juicy tuna for him and his         family.

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Other Pelican Sites

1. Roberts VII Draft Texts: This site has a lot of cool facts and interesting information on the Eastern Great White Pelican.  But it uses a lot of scientific words.

2. Satellite Tracking of Migratory and Ranging Behavior of Immature Great White Pelicans: This site has a lot of information on the migrating routes of the Eastern Great White Pelican.

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Works Cited

Eisman , Julie . "Pelecanus onocrotalus (eastern white pelican)." 2004. University of Michigan. 11 Feb 2004. <http://animaldiversity.ummz.umich.edu/site/accounts/pictures/Pelecanus

Clements, James F.. "Great White Pelican Pelecanus onocrotalus." 2000. 18 Feb 2004. <http://www.mangoverde.com/birdsound/spec/spec15-1.html>.

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