Animal
10:31, 31-Jan-2019
Great white pelican makes surprising appearance in Hainan
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Recently, seven great white pelicans mysteriously appeared in Haikou City in Hainan Province – a place that is not on their regular route during migration.
When surrounded by ducks, the great white pelican appears extraordinarily large. /VCG Photo
When surrounded by ducks, the great white pelican appears extraordinarily large. /VCG Photo
This huge bird breeds from southeastern Europe through Africa and southern Asia, in swamps and shallow lakes. But it rarely comes to the tropical island of Hainan in southern China.
The yellow gular pouch of the great white pelican is very useful when it hunts for fish. /VCG Photo
The yellow gular pouch of the great white pelican is very useful when it hunts for fish. /VCG Photo
The great white pelican has an enormous pink and yellow bill, and a yellow gular pouch that comes in handy when hunting for fish. Its length measures 1.4 to 1.8 meters and the wingspan measures up to 3.6 meters – the widest among extant flying animals outside of the great albatross.
The great white pelican enjoys the company of the ducks in the pond. /VCG Photo
The great white pelican enjoys the company of the ducks in the pond. /VCG Photo
The seven huge birds settle down in a village's pond and spend most of their time with the ducks in the pond. The villagers enjoy their company and take good care of them.
The great white pelican is "bonding" with a duck. /VCG Photo
The great white pelican is "bonding" with a duck. /VCG Photo
It remains a mystery how these birds ended up in Hainan. According to records, they were also spotted in Guangzhou in Guangdong Province last year.
(Top image shows a great white pelican in Haikou City, Hainan Province via VCG)