Category: Birds
Pelicans are large water birds, instantly recognizable by their large beaks and throat pouches that they use to scoop up prey (mostly fish). Most species of pelican are pale in plumage, except for their bills, pouches, and facial skin, which becomes brightly colored during breeding season. They are highly social birds, who travel and hunt in groups and breed colonially.
A Truly Amazing Race…
Many species of birds migrate when the weather changes, but some species take their journeys to extremes. The Arctic tern tops this list: it flies from the Arctic to Antarctic and back again every year of its life! In 2013, scientists tracked Arctic terns nesting in the Netherlands and discovered that they flew 56,000 miles per year! With a lifespan of approximately 30 years, this means these birds fly over 1.5 million miles over the course of their lives! Because the distance they migrate is so enormous, they don’t just get better weather and more abundant food each year, they get more daylight than any other animal on the planet!
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Discover Animals is a web-based educational resource offered by the NAIA
