Australia. Guide to Australia

The Australian Pelican (Pelecanus conspicillatus Temminck ) - A bird of the family pelikanovyh, living on the sea and river shores,marshes and coastal islands across Australia.

Australian Pelican - the largest flying bird of Australia, wingspan of the pelican 2,5 до 3,4 Metres away,вес - от 5 до 6beforeounds,length of the bird's body 1,6 — 1,9 Meters,length of the beak 40-50 Centimeters.

An important role in feeding the pelican's beak is sensitive to the throat sac, which accommodates 9-13 liters of water. Australian pelican never uses the throat pouch for food storage, it is used as a trapping network and a capacity for short-term retention of food. At the time when something falls out of the food in the bag to the pelican, He closes his beak, and clutching to his chest, that allows you to remove water from the beak of a bird, and transfer production to the position, suitable for swallowing.

Australian pelican eats crustaceans, tadpoles,small turtles, but the main food of fish and pelican during the day, the Australian pelican may be eating up 9 pounds of fish.

The Australian Pelican – the largest flying bird of Australia, it is capable of long flights in search of suitable water and food. In free flight, pelicans use thermal air currents to rise and continue to maintain optimum altitude,they usually fly at an altitude of about 1000 meters and speeds of up to 56 kilometers per hour.

By breeding Australian pelicans begin at any time of the year depending on weather conditions and rainfall. Before pairing with pelicans is a long courtship that involves two to eight males, who go after a female threatening each other and trying to attract the attention of females by swinging open beaks.

During the mating season, the Australian pelican,highly variable coloration of the beak and throat sac, because the front half of the beak is bright pink, and the skin around the throat of the bag is chrome-yellow. These changes in the color of the birds do not last long, and disappears with the beginning of incubation.

In Australian pelicans nest building the female, making a hole in the ground and pave it with branches and old feathers. prepared in the nest the female lays 1-3 eggs with an interval of up to three days, involved in hatching the eggs take both parents.

At hatching pelicans roll eggs on legs, incubation lasts about 32-35 days. first chick significantly more than others, He gets most of the food and may even attack and kill chicks, that hatched from the eggs after him. have hatched chicks Australian pelican's beak and a great big bulging eyes,the skin looks like a fine plastic. The skin around the eyes is covered with dark spots of different brightness, chicks and eye color can vary from white to dark brown, it helps parents distinguish their chicks among the other during feeding. fledglings leave the nest at the age of 10 before 20 Days.

In the wild, the Australian pelican lives in the middle 10-25 Years.

The Australian Pelican is quite popular in Australia, his image is used on Australian stamps, He is the prototype for the popular children's toys.