Anna Kingston - The Life Cycle of a Pelican

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Table of Contents

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The Life Cycle of a PELICAN

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The Life Cycle of a

PELICAN

By Anna Kingston

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Please visit our Web site, www. garethstevens. com. For a free color catalog of all our high-quality books, call toll free 1-800-542-2595 or fax 1-877-542-2596.

Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data

Kingston, Anna. The life cycle of a pelican / Anna Kingston. p. cm. -- ( Natures life cycles) Includes bibliographical references and index. ISBN 978-1-4339-4684-4 ( pbk. : alk. paper) ISBN 978-1-4339-4685-1 ( 6-pack) ISBN 978-1-4339-4683-7 ( library binding : alk. paper) Pelicans Life cycles Juvenile literature. I. Title. QL696. P47K56 2011 43156--dc22 2010030692

First Edition

Published in 2011 by Gareth Stevens Publishing East 14th Street, Suite New York, NY 10003

Copyright 2011 Gareth Stevens Publishing

Designer: Daniel Hosek Editor: Therese Shea

Photo credits: Cover, pp. 1, David McNew/Getty Images; pp. 5, ( all images) , ( both images) , 11, 15, 17, 19, ( juvenile and adult) Shutterstock. com; pp. 13, ( egg and chick) Gail Shumway/ Photographers Choice/Getty Images.

All rights reserved. No part of this book may be reproduced in any form without permission in writing from the publisher, except by a reviewer.

Printed in the United States of America

CPSIA compliance information: Batch #CW11GS: For further information contact Gareth Stevens, New York, New York at 1-800-542-2595.

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Contents

Meet the Pelican

Getting Around

Where They Live

Finding a Mate

Eggs

Chicks

Juveniles and Adults

Fishing for a Meal

Protecting Pelicans

The Life Cycle of a Pelican

Glossary

For More Information

Index

Words in the glossary appear in bold type the rst time they are used in the text

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Meet the Pelican

Pelicans are big birds that live near water. Pelicans use their beaks to catch food. The bottom part of a pelicans long beak has a pouch of stretchy skin. When its time to eat, a pelican scoops up a mouthful of sh and water. A pelicans pouch can hold around gallons (11 l) of water! Next, the pelican tips its head back. The water ows out. Then, the pelican swallows its food. Pelicans also scoop up and swallow other small water animals, such as shrimp.

AWESOME ANIMAL! The Australian pelican has the worlds longest beak.

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A pelicans beak can be as long as inches (51 cm)!

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Getting Around

Pelicans have big bodies, long necks, large wings, and short legs. They dont walk well.

Pelicans are excellent iers. They have hollow bones. They also have air pockets inside their bodies. These features make pelicans light. They often drift on air currents. They ap their big wings with long, slow strokes.

Pelicans are great swimmers. They have webbed feet. This means they have skin between their toes to help them paddle through water.

AWESOME ANIMAL!

Pelicans in a flock usually fly in a line, but they sometimes form a V shape.

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Pelicans move most easily in air or water.

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Where They Live

Pelicans live on every continent except Antarctica. There are several species of pelicans. Brown pelicans live along the North American coasts of the Atlantic Ocean and Pacic Ocean. American white pelicans spend the winters along these coasts, too. In the summer, they migrate to inland lakes. This is where baby American white pelicans start their lives.

AWESOME ANIMAL!

The biggest pelican is the Dalmatian pelican of eastern Europe and Asia. It measures more than feet (3 m) from one wingtip to the other.

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All pelicans live near water so they can find plenty of tasty fish to eat!

American white pelican

brown pelican

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Finding a Mate

When its time to build nests and lay eggs, pelicans gather in groups called colonies. Pelicans build their nests on the ground or in bushes and trees. They gather branches, feathers, and grass to make nests. They usually build them close together.

When male pelicans are ready to choose mates, they may grow colorful feathers. Pelicans court their mates. Sometimes they bow and y around. Sometimes they ll their pouches with air to show off their bright orange color.

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This male pelicans colorful feathers and beak will attract a mate.

AWESOME ANIMAL!

American white pelicans grow a hornlike bump on their beaks when its time to mate. The bump disappears after mating.

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Eggs

Mother pelicans most often lay one to four eggs each year. Both mother and father pelicans care for their eggs. The parents keep watch for animals that eat eggs, such as skunks and raccoons. Many pelicans choose to build nests on islands where its harder for predators to reach them.

Pelican parents use their big webbed feet to warm the eggs. They also use their feathers. After about days, the chicks hatch.

AWESOME ANIMAL!

Pelicans sometimes share their nesting colonies with other water birds, such as flamingos and cormorants.

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