The
Dalmatian pelican (
Pelecanus crispus) is a bird in the family
Pelecanidae. With a length of 160 to 183 centimetres (63 to 72 inches), a mass of 7.25 to 15 kilograms (16.0 to 33.1 pounds) and a wingspan of 245 to 351 centimetres (96 to 138 inches), it is the largest
pelican species and one of the world's largest living flying birds. The Dalmatian pelican has a range spanning across much of central Eurasia, from the
Mediterranean in the west to the
Taiwan Strait in the east, and from the
Persian Gulf in the south to
Siberia in the north. It is a short-to-medium-distance
migrant between breeding and overwintering areas. The Dalmatian pelican's preferred habitat is lakes, rivers, deltas and estuaries, and it feeds on various fish species such as the
common carp and
European perch. Like many pelicans, it is often silent, but can be vocal during the mating season, engaging in a wide range of guttural, deep vocalisations, including barks, hisses and grunts. This Dalmatian pelican was photographed in flight over the
Danube Delta in Romania.
Photograph credit: Charles J. Sharp
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