Great White Pelican

Pelecanus onocrotalus

Other Names

  White Pelican, Eastern White Pelican, European White Pelican, Rosy Pelican   Pélican blanc   Rosapelikan   Pelícano Común   Vit pelikan   Gewone Pelikaan, Roze Pelikaan   Pellicano, Pellicano comune

World: E Europe to W Mongolia, Iraq, N India. In Africa it is widespread S of 15°N except in the equatorial lowland forests in the W and in the very arid areas of eastern Somalia.

Kenya: Associated with large bodies of water, particularly lakes. Occurs around Lake Turkana, Lake Victoria and on the Rift Valley lakes (it is particularly numerous at Lake Nakuru). Almost absent, however, from the coast.

Despite occurring in large numbers at Lake Nakuru (44,430 were recorded there in January 1992) they normally only breed at one site in Kenya, Lake Elementeita. They are a particularly spectacular sight catching thermals at Nakuru and spiralling upwards in vast columns. Also on the water they are quite fascinating to watch as they fish in large flotillas looking almost synchronised in their movements.