Pelicans: Pelecanidae

Pelicans float high on the water and raise their wings slightly as they float along. When they fly, their head is pulled back over their shoulders to form an S-curve. Groups of pelicans usually fly to their feeding places in a line.

Most pelicans breed in large colonies. Some build tree nests, and others nest on the ground. Female pelicans usually lay two or three eggs, and the adults take turns sitting on them. When they hatch, the chicks are naked and helpless, and often only one survives. The parents regurgitate (spit up) food into their big pouches for the chicks to eat until the young birds are on their own, usually at the age of three months.