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Collection  >  Order (Birds)  >  Order Information (Pelecaniformes)

Pelecaniformes

Pelecaniformes, from Latin pelecānus (“pelican”) and Latin -fōrmis (“-shaped”), in reference to the fact these animals are pelican-shaped or just pelican-related.

Pelicans, herons, egrets, bitterns, ibises, spoonbills, shoebills, hamerkops.

Photos

DISTRIBUTION

Worldwide, except polar regions and some oceanic islands.

SIZE

They range from 25–30 cm in height up to 110–140 cm.

MORPHOLOGY

Certain species have incredibly long, massive bills that are distinguished by a gigantic gular pouch attached to the lower mandible and a downcurved hook at the end of the upper jaw. Their legs are short and robust, with huge, completely webbed feet, and they have a long neck. It has a short, square tail. The wings feature an extraordinarily high number of 30 to 35 secondary flying feathers and are long and broad, with the proper shape for both gliding and soaring flight. Some species have long necks and legs and range in size from medium to giant. Because of the altered form of the cervical vertebrae, of which they have 20–21, the necks can bend in an S-shape. The neck may stretch and retract, and it retracts when flying. Generally speaking, the bill is long and harpoon-like.

ECOLOGY & HABITAT

Inland and coastal waters, margins of lakes, rivers, swamps, ponds, and the sea.

DIET

As carnivorous, they feed mainly on fish and squid. Sometimes mollusks, crustaceans, amphibians, reptiles, and invertebrates.

REPRODUCTION

While the order exhibits a range of breeding strategies, overall, most species are monogamous and mostly colonial. Both parents incubate the eggs and care for the young.

REFERENCES

del Hoyo, J., Elliott, A., Sargatal, J., Christie, D. A. (2010). Handbook of the Birds of the World Series. Lynx Edicions.

Lovette, I. J., Fitzpatrick, J. W. (2016). Handbook of Bird Biology. Wiley-Blackwell.

Gill, F. B., Prum, R. O. (2019). Ornithology. W.H. Freeman & Co. Ltd.

Total species known

117

Species in the collection

11

Species in Hong Kong

23

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