About Great white pelican (Pelecanus onocrolatus) Danube Delta
The Great White Pelican (Pelecanus onocrotalus) is the symbol of the Danube Delta's Biosphere Reservation, where the population of this species reaches 5 000 nesting pairs.
It is a large scaled bird, with an average weight of 11 Kg. Its wingspan reaches 3, 2 m and its bill reaches up to 45 cm.
The pelican uses its craw as a scoop. During pairing season, adult specimens grow a yellow-orange protuberance above their forehead. The wings of this bird are covered with white feathers, excepting the flight feathers, which are black. Its chest is covered yellowish-pink feathers.
The great white pelican has developed a flight similar to that of eagles.
In order to feed itself it will dive up to 1 m deep. Feeding occurs in large groups of up to 1 000 specimens. It is a gregarious species and it fishes alongside cormorants.
The pelican's nest is not elaborate. In order to build it, the bird simply pushes the ground with its webbed feet and afterwards it piles up dry vegetation. The female lays eggs during springtime and the incubation is shared by both parents. When the nestlings are bigger, food is brought from distant areas.
The future perpetuation of the species can be assured by artificially arranging or by preserving the platforms, where the great white pelican nests.