Editing Peruvian pelican

{{Short description|Species of bird}}
{{speciesbox
| name = Peruvian pelican
| image = Pelícano en Pucusana.JPG
| status = NT
| status_system = IUCN3.1
| status_ref = <ref name="iucn status 11 November 2021">{{cite iucn |author=BirdLife International |date=2018 |title=''Pelecanus thagus'' |volume=2018 |page=e.T22697619A132596827 |doi=10.2305/IUCN.UK.2018-2.RLTS.T22697619A132596827.en |access-date=11 November 2021}}</ref>
| genus = Pelecanus
| species = thagus
| authority = [[Juan Ignacio Molina|Molina]], 1782
| synonyms =
*''Pelecanus occidentalis thagus'' <small>Molina, 1782</small>
*''Pelecanus barbieri'' <small>Oustalet, 1878</small>
| range_map = Pelecanus thagus map.svg
}}

The '''Peruvian pelican''' ('''''Pelecanus thagus''''') is a member of the [[pelican]] family. It lives on the west coast of [[South America]], breeding in loose [[Bird colony|colonies]] from about [[34th parallel south|33.5 degrees south]] in central [[Chile]] to [[Piura Region|Piura]] in northern [[Peru]], and occurring as a visitor in southern Chile and [[Ecuador]].<ref name=HBW>{{cite web|website=[[Handbook of the Birds of the World]] |url=http://www.hbw.com/species/peruvian-pelican-pelecanus-thagus |title=Peruvian pelican |access-date=21 May 2017}}</ref> It used to be considered a subspecies of the [[brown pelican]].

==Description==
These birds are dark in colour with a white stripe from the top of the [[beak|bill]] up to the crown and down the sides of the neck. They have long tufted [[feather]]s on the top of their heads. It was previously considered a [[subspecies]] of the [[brown pelican]] (''Pelecanus occidentalis''). The Peruvian pelican is considerably larger, ranging from about {{convert|5|to(-)|7|kg|abbr=on}} in weight, {{convert|137|to(-)|152|cm|ft|abbr=on|1}} in length and with a wingspan of about {{convert|228|cm|ft|abbr=on|1}}.<ref name=HBW/><ref>{{Cite book |last1=Schulenberg |first1=Thomas S. |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=yFuWUc7l0uQC&dq=Peruvian+pelican&pg=PA54 |title=Birds of Peru: Revised and Updated Edition |last2=Stotz |first2=Douglas F. |last3=Lane |first3=Daniel F. |last4=O'Neill |first4=John P. |last5=III |first5=Theodore A. Parker |date=2010-05-04 |publisher=Princeton University Press |isbn=978-1-4008-3449-5 |language=en}}</ref> Compared to the brown pelican, it also has proportionally longer crest feathers, as well as differences in the colours of the [[gular pouch]], beak, [[Scapular feathers|scapulars]] and greater [[wing covert]]s.<ref name=HBW/>

==Behaviour==
===Breeding===
The main breeding season occurs from September to March. [[avian clutch size|Clutch size]] is usually two or three [[bird egg|eggs]]. Eggs are [[Avian incubation|incubated]] for approximately 4 to 5 weeks, with the rearing period lasting about 3 months.

Breeding occurs in large coastal colonies.<ref name=":0">{{Cite web |title=Peruvian Pelican (Pelecanus thagus) - BirdLife species factsheet |url=http://datazone.birdlife.org/species/factsheet/peruvian-pelican-pelecanus-thagus/text |access-date=2023-06-14 |website=datazone.birdlife.org}}</ref>

===Feeding===
Peruvian pelicans feed on several species of [[fish]]. Unlike the brown pelican, they never dive from a great height to catch its food, instead diving from a shallow height or feeding while swimming on the surface.<ref>{{cite journal| author=Jaramillo, A. |year=2009 |title=Humboldt Current seabirding in Chile | journal=Neotropical Birding | volume=4 | pages=27–39}}</ref><ref name=":1">{{Cite journal |last1=Jeyasingham |first1=Will S. |last2=Taylor |first2=Scott A. |last3=Zavalaga |first3=Carlos B. |last4=Simeone |first4=Alejandro |last5=Friesen |first5=Vicki L. |date=2013 |title=Specialization to cold-water upwellings may facilitate gene flow in seabirds: new evidence from the Peruvian pelican Pelecanus thagus (Pelecaniformes: Pelecanidae) |url=https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1111/j.1600-048X.2012.00004.x |journal=Journal of Avian Biology |language=en |volume=44 |issue=3 |pages=297–304 |doi=10.1111/j.1600-048X.2012.00004.x |s2cid=4288602|url-access=subscription }}</ref> On occasion they may take other food items, such as nestling of [[imperial shag]]s, young [[Peruvian diving petrel]]s, [[gray gull]]s and [[Cannibalism (zoology)|cannibalize]] unrelated chicks of their  own species.<ref>{{cite journal|author1=Cursach, J.A. |author2=J.R. Rau |author3=J. Vilugrón |year=2016 |title=Presence of the Peruvian Pelican Pelicanus thagus in seabird colonies of Chilean Patagonia | journal=Marine Ornithology | volume=44 | pages=27–30}}</ref><ref>{{cite journal|author1=Daigre, M. |author2=P. Arce |author3=A. Simeone |year=2012 |title=Fledgling Peruvian Pelicans (Pelecanus thagus) attack and consume younger unrelated conspecifics | journal=Wilson Journal of Ornithology | volume=124 |issue=3 | pages=603–607 | doi=10.1676/12-011.1|s2cid=84928683 }}</ref> They also feed on [[Pelagic zone|pelagic]] species such as [[Anchovy|anchovies]].<ref name=":1" /> In fact, those in the northern [[Humboldt Current]] System feed almost exclusively on one species, the [[Peruvian anchoveta]].<ref name=":2">{{Cite journal |last1=Passuni |first1=Giannina |last2=Barbraud |first2=Christophe |last3=Chaigneau |first3=Alexis |last4=Demarcq |first4=Hervé |last5=Ledesma |first5=Jesus |last6=Bertrand |first6=Arnaud |last7=Castillo |first7=Ramiro |last8=Perea |first8=Angel |last9=Mori |first9=Julio |last10=Viblanc |first10=Vincent A. |last11=Torres-Maita |first11=Jose |last12=Bertrand |first12=Sophie |date=2016 |title=Seasonality in marine ecosystems: Peruvian seabirds, anchovy, and oceanographic conditions |url=https://www.jstor.org/stable/24703004 |journal=Ecology |volume=97 |issue=1 |pages=182–193 |doi=10.1890/14-1134.1 |jstor=24703004 |pmid=27008787 |bibcode=2016Ecol...97..182P |issn=0012-9658}}</ref>

The birds feed around cold-water [[Upwelling|upwellings]], being found along the [[Humboldt Current]].<ref name=":1" />

==Conservation==
Its status was first evaluated for the [[IUCN Red List]] in 2008, being listed as [[Near threatened]].<ref>[[BirdLife International]] (BLI) (2008) [http://www.birdlife.org/datazone/species/index.html?action=SpcHTMDetails.asp&sid=3816&m=0 Peruvian Pelican Species Factsheet], [http://www.birdlife.org/action/science/species/global_species_programme/whats_new.html 2008 IUCN Redlist status changes].</ref> Its status was reassessed in 2018, and it was again listed as Near threatened, but with increasing population.<ref>{{cite iucn |author=BirdLife International. |year=2018 |title=''Pelecanus thagus'' |volume=2018 |page=e.T22697619A132596827 |doi=10.2305/IUCN.UK.2018-2.RLTS.T22697619A132596827.en |access-date=14 June 2023}}</ref>

One factor affecting their status may be competition with fishing industries for anchovies, a primary food source for the species.<ref name=":0" /><ref name=":2" />

==Gallery==
<gallery>
File:Pelecanus thagus -Pan de Azucar National Park, Atacama Region, Chile -head-8.jpg|Peruvian pelican in [[Pan de Azúcar National Park]], Chile
File:Peruvian pelican in Pan de Azucar National Park in Chile September 2009.jpg|Peruvian pelican in Pan de Azúcar National Park, Chile
File:Several Peruvian pelicans in Pan de Azucar National Park in Chile September 2009.jpg|Several Peruvian pelicans at the Caleta Pan de Azúcar fishing village in Pan de Azúcar National Park, Chile
File:Pelecanus thagus (Peruvian Pelican - Chile-Pelikan) - Weltvogelpark Walsrode 2012-02 cropped.jpg|A Peruvian pelican takes a bath at [[Weltvogelpark Walsrode]], Germany
File:Pelecanus thagus in the Ballestas islands.jpg|Peruvian pelicans in the [[Ballestas Islands]], Peru
File:Peruvian pelican in Paracas, Peru.jpg|Peruvian pelican in [[Paracas (municipality)|Paracas]], Peru
File:Migración de Pelecanus Thagus.jpg|Pelecanus Thagus Flying above, [[Punta Sal]], Peru
</gallery>

==References==
{{Commons|Pelecanus thagus}}
{{Reflist}}

==External links==
*[https://web.archive.org/web/20120604234020/http://mundoazul.org/habitats-species/marine-birds/peruvian-pelican-pelecanus-thagus/ Mundo Azul Species Factsheet]

{{Pelecaniformes}}

{{Taxonbar|from=Q845979}}

[[Category:Pelecanus|Peruvian pelican]]
[[Category:Birds of Peru]]
[[Category:Birds of Chile]]
[[Category:Western South American coastal birds]]
[[Category:Birds described in 1782|Peruvian pelican]]