Great white pelican

Introduction: Great white pelicans (Pelecanus onocrotalus) abound in Namibia's shallow lakes, floodplains, dams and estuaries, as well as sheltered coastal bays and lagoons. Flocks of several thousand are common.

Distribution: Breeds at Bird Rock Platform near Walvis Bay, Etosha Pan and Hardap Dam. Also found in the Caprivi, Kaudom Game Park and Tsumkwe, Kunene River Mouth, lower Orange River and Fish River Canyon.

Diet: Either sleeps or forages throughout the day. Traps fish in large, gular pouch. Forages whilst swimming, as well as scavenges and kills animals ashore, often pinching the catch of Namibian anglers. Also takes barbs and freshwater shrimp.

Description: White body with short crest at the back of the head. Swollen, knob-like forehead. Can be confused with the smaller pink-backed pelican which has pale greyish (not whitish) plumage.

Breeding: Usually 2 eggs are laid from June to mid August in a scrape in the ground and lined with grass, feathers, sticks and reeds. Both sexes incubate for up to 45 days.

Size: 175cm.

Weight: 10kg.

Wingspan: 3.6kg.