pelican
Latin: Pelecanus sp.
JP: 伽藍鳥 garanchō (cathedral bird) / ペリカン perikan
Water-going birds of the family Pelecanidae, known for their elongated beaks which support a neck pouch that enables the bird to swallow large prey. This prey is usually fish, but also occasionally amphibians, turtles, crustaceans, insects, birds, and mammals.
Plumage is white, brown and/or grey-white among the 8 extant species, some of which sport black flight feathers.
Pelicans date back about 30m years in the fossil record and are considered most closely related to the shoebill.
See also
This tag implicates bird (learn more).
