These Pelicans Can Hold Up to 13 Liters in Their Bills

Pelicans are known for their massive bills, but scooping fish isn’t all they can do. This video by @quarterdek_narooma shows these already quirky birds doing something even more bizarre. Seabirds are naturals on the water, but why are these pelicans standing in a rainstorm? As it turns out, they enjoy the rain more than you might realize.

Hydrating Is a Rainy Day Activity

The bill of a pelican is like a duffel bag. It can hold up to 13 liters, whether the contents are fish or water. In the case of this video, we see a group of pelicans gathering to take advantage of a heavy rainstorm. It might seem strange that pelicans — who are coastal birds — need to drink water this way, but they hydrate just like any other animal. What’s even more fascinating is that pelicans don’t need to drink freshwater because they’re perfectly adapted to consume saltwater.

Some marine animals have organs that filter salt from saltwater, allowing them to live in coastal environments without risking dehydration. Pelicans have glands in their bills that desalinate water so that it’s fit to drink. As they prey on fish and crustaceans, their glands filter excess salt. This salt is excreted through ducts when they drink water stored in their bills.

Rainwater Is a Treat

Desalinating water for drinking takes some effort on the part of the pelican. While it’s an automatic process, pelicans still prefer drinking fresh water straight from the source. Rainstorms provide fresh water that’s easily accessed and requires no filtering. The pelicans in this video are just doing what’s easy and instinctual. According to the Toronga Zoo, even captive pelicans often do the same on rainy days.

Some experts at the zoo speculate the pelicans may also do this to cool off. Another theory is that it’s just plain fun, especially since storms can be sporadic during summer. Whatever the case is, these pelicans have a highly intuitive nature when it comes to the weather. And it helps to have built-in rain catchers!