8 Facts About Baby Pelicans

“Cute” may not be the first word that comes to mind when you spot a newborn pelican. These birds emerge from their eggs naked and pink, with translucent skin, grunting loudly for food. 

No, baby pelicans do not fit the typical mold for cute baby animals. However, cute is in the eye of the beholder. When you see these funny little creatures, you may think they are so ugly that they border on endearing. And after learning about these fascinating birds, you may find them downright adorable. 

Read on to learn 8 interesting facts about baby pelicans!

#1 Baby Pelicans Are Born Completely Helpless

Pelicans are born altricial, which means, as new hatchlings, they require a lot of parental care to survive. The chicks are born with no feathers, their eyes are closed or only slightly open, and they can barely move around. They even struggle to hold up their large heads.

Depending on the species (there are eight main species of pelicans throughout the world), a newborn pelican’s skin may be pink, orange, or black.

#2 Both Pelican Parents Care for Their Young

The pelican mother and father are both involved in caring for their babies from the beginning. The father gathers nesting materials, like leaves, grass, and sticks, while the mother builds the nest. Once the mother lays the eggs, each parent takes a turn sitting and incubating them. This lets the other parent have a chance to grab a bite to eat and get some rest. 

After the babies hatch, the mother and father take turns catching fish, such as herring, to feed the hungry chicks.

#3 Pelicans Hatch from Large White Eggs

Pelican mothers can lay from one to six chalky, dull-white, eggs which are about 3 inches long and 2 inches in diameter. Most pelican species lay two to four eggs per clutch. 

Pelicans are large birds, and depending on the species, they will end up weighing from eight to 30 pounds when fully grown. They can grow to be over 60 inches long, with a 100-inch wingspan. A newborn pelican’s size will vary depending on species, but generally they are similar in size to a full-grown dove.

#4 Pelican Eggs Take about a Month to Hatch

It’s a good thing both parents are involved in caring for the young because pelican eggs have one of the longest incubation periods among birds. The pelican parents may sit on their eggs for about a month before they hatch.

#5 Baby Pelicans Have Large Bills Tipped in Egg Tooth

Newly hatched chicks are born with large bills and the characteristic pelican pouch. The large bill and pouch are part of what makes the babies have such a distinctive look as young chicks. 

The babies need these large bills to break out of their eggs. Each bill is tipped in a hard egg tooth, which helps them chip away at the eggshell when they are ready to hatch.

#6 Baby Pelicans Make a Sound like a Barking Dog

Newborn pelicans are born hungry. They make a big fuss to get their parents to bring them food. Baby pelicans do not have the tiny chirps you may expect from most hatchlings. Instead, they grunt loudly, sounding more like barking dogs than baby chicks.

#7 Newborn Babies Eat Regurgitated Food off the Nest Floor

Baby pelicans cannot feed themselves until they are several months old. When they are newborns, they are fairly helpless. 

The parents bring them regurgitated fish they carry in their pouches. Until the pelican babies grow larger, they are unable to eat the food directly from their parents’ large bills. The parents drop the softened fish on the floor of the nest, and the babies pick it apart.

Once the chicks grow older, they are able to take the food directly from their parents’ bills. At around a month old, the little birds can stick their heads into their parents’ mouths to retrieve the fish.

#8 Baby Pelicans Leave the Nest at Two to Four Weeks

The fledglings begin to leave their parents’ nest around two to four weeks of age. They gather with other groups of young pelicans and form a pod. However, they won’t go too far from the parents for another few months. 

The mothers and fathers continue to feed the babies until they are fully independent at about three months of age, depending on the species. Interestingly enough, the parents know their own babies and only feed their own young among the many fledglings in the pod.