A white pelican glides gracefully on a calm water surface, creating a mirrored reflection, with scattered leaves floating around.

Eastern white pelican

You can find our four eastern white pelicans gliding through the lake, near the entrance to the zoo.

Eastern white pelicanPelecanus onocrotalus

  • Class:

    Birds

  • Order:

    Pelecaniformes

  • Family:

    Pelecanidae

About the Eastern wihte pelican

Also known as the great white pelican, this bird is found in shallow, freshwater areas from south-eastern Europe through to Asia and African swamps.

They are piscivores – most of their diet consists of fish but they will also eat small invertebrates.

Conservation

This species is not currently under huge threat, from a stable global population that is spread across different areas.

Interesting facts