characteristic feature curly pelican (lat. Pelicanus crispus) is the presence of sometimes very long feathers on the back of the head, giving it a disheveled look. Approximately 8 thousand years ago, it was widespread throughout Eurasia. Even in the era of antiquity, it nested even in the southern territory of Scandinavia, as evidenced by its remains found by archaeologists. In connection with the general cooling in the following centuries, its nesting sites moved much further south.

Distribution and behavior

Currently, the habitat extends from the Balkan Peninsula to the western regions of Mongolia. Of the 5 thousand breeding pairs, more than half nest in Russia, Azerbaijan, Turkmenistan and Kazakhstan. The European population is estimated at about 1.6-2 thousand pairs. Two large bird colonies are found on Lake Prespa in Greece and in the Danube Delta in Romania.
Wintering takes place on the Mediterranean coast, on the Indian subcontinent and southern China.

Dalmatian pelicans fly and swim well, but cannot dive. They spend most of their time on the water, relaxing or hunting for fish. To catch prey, the bird submerges its head and front part of the body in water for a few moments. Her feathers are not greased, so they get wet quickly. To dry them, she has to constantly raise her wings high.

Taking off from the water surface is easy, at the same time, to take off from the ground, the pelican is forced to take off, pushing off with several jumps. It moves very clumsily on the ground, so it prefers to rest on trees or in shallow water. It has the ability to make long gliding flights.

Birds catch fish alone, sometimes they cooperate in small groups of 2-4 individuals. Catching usually takes place far from the location of the colony at a distance of 5-10 km. In the Danube Delta, they are able to make daily flights in search of food for 50 km. Each bird needs about 1.2 kg of feed daily. The basis of the diet is fish trifle, but with a successful set of circumstances, it can also eat fish up to 50 cm long.

reproduction

Dalmatian pelicans reach sexual maturity at 3-4 years of age. Every season they form monogamous pairs. The mating season runs from late March to early April. Pairs nest alone or in groups of up to 250 birds, sometimes together with and

The nest, about 50 cm in diameter and up to 30 cm high, is always located near an open reservoir. With a single nesting, it is sometimes up to 1.5 m in diameter and up to 1 m in height. There are no such architectural masterpieces in the colonies.

Branches, silt and dry grass are used to build the nest. It can also be built directly during the incubation of chicks. In this case, birds actively use their excrement to strengthen the walls. Both spouses build the nest, but the male is mainly involved in the delivery of building materials.

The female lays from April to June from 2 to 4 eggs. Incubation lasts 30-34 days. Usually only half of the chicks hatch, as the eggs are often destroyed by predators, primarily wild boars. The same fate befalls many flightless chicks.

Chicks are born asynchronously naked and helpless. On the second day they raise their heads. The parents feed them with regurgitated food from their throat pouch. At two weeks of age, the fledglings leave the nest and form a "nursery" in the center of the colony. A month old, they already know how to fly a little above the surface of the water, escaping from predators. At the age of 10-11 weeks, the chicks swim with pleasure, but continue to receive food from their parents. At the 12th week they fly relatively well, and after another 2-3 weeks they become completely independent. By this time, the colony begins to disintegrate, and the birds are preparing for the upcoming winter flight.

The weight of adults ranges from 11 to 14 kg, the body length reaches 1.6-1.8 m, and the wingspan is 2.75-2.95 m. The plumage is grayish-white. The neck is naked with a gray ring. The throat pouch is red-yellow. Beak and legs are grey.

AT wild nature the curly pelican lives 15-20 years. In captivity, with good care, the duration doubles.

Aves. Order: Pelicans Family: Pelicans (Pelecanidae Rafinesque, 1815) Genus: Pelicans Species: Dalmatian pelican Scientific name - Pelecanus crispus Bruch, 1832 Rarity category: 2 - declining species

Pelecanus Pelecanus Bruch, 1832

Spreading: In the European part of Russia, it constantly nests in the East. Sea of ​​Azov (delta of Kuban), on the lake. Manych-Gudilo and Manych, the deltas of the Volga and Terek, periodically - on the Chogray reservoir, Mekletinsky and Sostinsky lakes, a number of inland water bodies of Kalmykia, on the North. Caspian on the Zuydvestovskoy and Rakushinsky shalyga, noted for nesting to the north. from the mouth of the Kuma.

In the Asian part of Russia nests in the South. Trans-Urals within the Tobol-Ishim interfluve (southern districts of Kurgan, Tyumen, Omsk regions) in the region of Lake. Black, Big White, Tundrovo, Saltaim-Tenis. Flights were recorded in Bashkiria, Altai Territory. On summering occurs on the lake. Ubsu-Nur in the south of Tuva. Outside of Russia it breeds in Bulgaria, Romania, Albania, Greece, b. Yugoslavia, Uzbekistan, Kazakhstan, Syria, Iraq, Iran, Mongolia, China.

Habitat: Delta flowing water bodies rich in fish, fresh and brackish lakes with thickets, islands of salt lakes devoid of surface vegetation. Nesting colonies range from a few pairs to several hundred pairs. The nest is a large structure. Sometimes the nests of several pairs are a single fused formation.

With the polycyclicity of succession processes on the islands of Lake. Manych-Gudilo and Manych, even with significant long-term fluctuations in the water level (over 1 m), the excess capacity of the island reproductive stations remains. Nesting conservatism of the species contributes to the long-term formation of colonies on certain islands, up to their destruction or flooding as a result of fluctuations in water levels and storms.

The process of formation of new large colonies (several tens of pairs) is at least 3 years. To a large extent, therefore, the stable nesting of the species in these lakes over the past 20 years was not accompanied by a further increase in colonies (up to several hundred pairs). The formation of large nesting settlements of the pink pelican in colonies of the Dalmatian pelican also leads to the resettlement of the former to other islands.

Nesting periods are extended. The clutch usually contains 2 eggs, rarely 1 or 3. Incubation is 32-35 days. average value brood (4-week-old chicks) on the lake. Manych-Gudilo did not exceed 0.8, which is due to the low success rate of incubation in non-resident pairs. In b. In Yugoslavia, this figure was 0.43, in Bulgaria - 0.9. Ciscaucasian and North Caspian groups of pelicans of the first year of life winter in the south of the Caspian, preferring river mouths. Judging by the low abundance of the species in India and a number of other data, it prefers close wintering: the south of the Caspian Sea, Iraq, Iran.

Number: The number in the Palearctic 3190-4270 nesting pairs, of which on the territory of b. The USSR accounts for 82-86%. The number in the world is 12-16 thousand individuals. In Russia, in the east. 50-80 pairs nest in the Azov region, 130-170 pairs in the Manych valley and inland waters of Kalmykia, 50-70 pairs on the Caspian coast of Kalmykia, 40-60 pairs in the Terek delta (Dagestan), 40-70 pairs in the Volga delta steam .

In general, 310-460 pairs nest in the Azov-Caspian region. In the south Trans-Urals in the district of the lake. Black, Bolshoye Beloe, Tundrovo and Saltaim-Tenis nest 140-250 pairs. It is not excluded the appearance of nesting in the Novosibirsk region. . Total population species in Russia 450-710 nesting pairs. The presence of a quantitatively dynamic reproductive reserve present in the nesting area and consisting of mature individuals not participating in reproduction requires caution in assessing the territorial groupings of the species in terms of "nesting pairs".

Within b. USSR, the largest nesting grouping of the Dalmatian Pelican is known in the delta of the river. Or - about 1000 pairs. The main factor that has served in the last 50 years as the reason for the decline in the number of the species in b. USSR - regulation of river flow and hydromelioration. The natural rhythm of flooding of arid and semi-arid territories also influenced, with which the modern expansion of the range in the forest-steppe of the West is associated. Siberia and Ciscaucasia. On the lake Manych-Gudilo and Manych, the main limiting factor is uncontrolled anthropogenic changes in the hydrological regime and the destruction of the islands associated with this. The influence of pesticides was noted, and in some years - the factor of concern.

Security: Listed in IUCN-96, Appendix 1 of CITES, Appendix 2 of the Bonn Convention, Appendix 2 of the Berne Convention. It is protected in the reserves Manych-Gudilo (a branch of the Chernozemelsky reserve), Astrakhan, Dagestan; republican reserves Priazovsky, Manych-Gudilo, Samursky; a number of local reserves in Kalmykia, Stavropol, Krasnodar Territory, Rostov Region, as well as in some hunting farms of these territories in spring-summer period. In Siberia, it is protected in the republican reserves on the lake. Bolshoye Beloe, oz. Tundrovo, natural monument Black Lake. It is necessary to give the status of protected areas of the lake. Manych and lake. Saltaim-Tenis and create artificial islands on the lake. Manych-Gudilo and Manych.

The Dalmatian Pelican is a migratory nesting bird of the Pelican family. It is very similar to the pink pelican, except for the size - curly is larger. Distinctive feature birds are curly feathers on the crown and back of the neck. A peculiar hairstyle, large beak and portly size of a clumsy body became the reason for the second name of the bird - Baba. However, birds of this species feel awkward only on land, but in the air and on the water they simply have no equal.

Appearance of a curly pelican

The body length of large males reaches almost two meters. Wingspan 3-3.5 meters. The pelican's beak is very long, reaching half a meter. The weight of a medium-sized bird is 10-12 kg, in some cases it can reach up to one and a half dozen kilograms. Long curly feathers on the head and nape form a kind of mane or hairstyle, which favorably emphasizes the elegance of the individual. The throat sac has a bright orange color, and during the nesting period it acquires a reddish tint. Paws are dark gray, almost black. By the number of curly hair on the back of the head and crown, one can judge the age of the pelican - the older the bird, the more “curly” her hairstyle is.

Habitat

Dalmatian Pelican Migration

Curly Pelicans - migratory birds, which you can hardly meet in Russian latitudes in winter. Birds go for wintering in rather large flocks, three hundred individuals and even more. Quite often, flocks are mixed, that is, curly pelicans fly side by side with classic pink counterparts. In a migratory flock, the birds try to stay close enough to each other, however, pelicans fly to the nesting site in small groups, in pairs, and even alone. In spring, the curly pelican returns home among the first birds. Depending on the weather and the territory, the first pelicans can be found already in late February and early March. Birds fly away for wintering also quite late. In some cases, if the winter in the region is not very severe and large bodies of water do not freeze completely, then the pelicans remain. However, in our country this happens quite rarely, only isolated cases.

Pelicans reach sexual maturity in the third year of life, from the very arrival the birds keep in pairs, this suggests that pelicans are monogamous. As a rule, nesting occurs in small groups of 5-10 pairs. Sometimes curly pelicans nest in large flocks along with other birds - cormorants and pink pelicans. However, even in this case, individuals try to stay on the edge of the main group, as if isolating their generic affiliation.

The mating games of the curly pelican are very interesting, the male tries in every possible way to win the attention of the desired lady (if the couple has not yet been formed). The young cavalier walks around the female, approaching her and moving away from her. He flaps his wings, rubs his neck against the female, cleans her wings with his beak, that is, he “cares” in every possible way. When the female agrees to courtship, mating occurs, during which the male actively beats his wings.

Immediately after mating, an intensive process of building a nest begins. Nests are usually built either on the shore in dense vegetation or on floating islands. The nest is a large amount of dry grass and reeds mixed with droppings for strength. As a rule, nests are located at least a meter from the surface of the water, but over time, when the chicks hatch and begin to grow up, the nest slowly sinks from the increased weight, almost to the very edge of the water. Dalmatian pelicans usually lay one clutch of white eggs with a rough surface, very rarely two clutches can occur in a season.

The eggs are mainly incubated by the female, but the male is ready to replace her when the mother goes to feed - in the morning and in the evening. It is very difficult to find Dalmatian pelican eggs in the thickets, as they are hidden in the very thick of the vegetation. Only after the chicks hatch, they become potential prey for predators, because it is not difficult to find them by squeaking. For this reason, almost half of all hatched chicks die.

Interesting facts about curly pelicans

The curly pelican is listed in the Red Book as an endangered species. People should in every possible way protect the population of these birds, because they are not only amazingly beautiful - they are interesting to watch.

1. Millions of years ago, the ancestors of pelicans were very large, their weight was more than fifty kilograms.
2. The pelican's beak reaches almost half a meter, and the lower bag, if necessary, stretches more than 5 times. This allows the bird to carry huge food supplies.
3. Pelicans spend most of their time in the water, so they often have to "wring out" their feathers. To do this, the bird clamps the feathers with its beak and literally walks along the entire length in this way to get rid of excess heavy moisture. This is the most frequent activity for which a pelican can be observed.
4. The Dalmatian Pelican can be called a silent bird, which for the most part does not make any sounds at all. The dull roar of a pelican can only be heard during the nesting period.
5. Unlike other waterfowl, the pelican cannot dive underwater for prey - it has a too light skeleton and a large amount of air between the feathers. The pelican is forced to look for food on the surface of the reservoir, although some species have learned to dive to a shallow depth from a flight height.
6. It is not at all necessary for a pelican to grab the fish with the hard part of the beak, it is enough to open the bag and the prey gets there, like in fishing nets. And water is poured through small holes - up to five liters.
7. Curly pelican eats any fish, even very large ones. Surprisingly, the bird swallows it whole, and the stomach and intestines digest the prey. If necessary, the female pelican can regurgitate incompletely processed food to feed her chicks.

Pelicans are often found in the culture and works of many countries. Among Muslims, for example, the bird is considered sacred, since according to legend, pelicans carried in their beaks the stones necessary for the construction of shrines in Mecca. In Europe, the pelican is a symbol of selfless love for children. In Russia, the pelican flaunts on the coat of arms of the Pedagogical University. The pelican is a beautiful and extraordinary bird that we must preserve for future generations.

Video: pink and curly pelican

The Dalmatian Pelican is one of only two species breeding in Russia where it can form mixed colonies with the Pink Pelican.

Systematics

Russian name - Curly Pelican
Latin name- Pelecanus crispus
English name - Dalmatian pelican
Squad - Pelicans (Pelecaniformes)
Family - Pelicans (Pelecanidae)
Genus - Pelicans (Pelecanus) total 8 species

The status of the species in nature

The curly pelican is the rarest of all pelican species. Back in the middle of the 19th century, the number of these birds reached several million, and by the beginning of the 20th century it had fallen to several thousand. At present, the number of Dalmatian pelicans in the Palearctic is about 4000 pairs, of which former USSR accounts for about 86%. The number of breeding pairs in Russia is 450–710. The Dalmatian Pelican is listed in the International Red Book as a species of low abundance, at risk of extinction - CITES I, IUCN (VU).

The main reason for the decline in the number of the Dalmatian pelican in the territory of the former USSR over the past 50 years, scientists believe is the destruction of habitats as a result of the construction of dams on rivers and hydromelioration. In addition, the active use of reed stalks by people deprives pelicans of secluded places for nesting, and pollution of water bodies with industrial effluents and oil leads to the death of fish and the birds themselves.

View and person

Pelican is a character of many fairy tales, legends, myths. It is considered a sacred bird among Muslims - according to legend, he carried stones in his throat bag for the construction of shrines in Mecca. In the Christian religion, the pelican has become a symbol of selfless parental love - as if tearing its own chest and feeding hungry chicks with blood. In fact, the chick “dives” so deeply into the parent’s throat for food that it almost hides in its beak, and people mistook the pinkish slurry from the fish it got for the insides of an adult bird. An echo of this legend about the self-sacrifice of adults for the sake of children can be considered a symbolic prize for the best teacher of the year in Russia - the “crystal pelican” figurine.

Man sometimes uses the ability of pelicans to catch fish. Tamed birds go fishing with the owner, sitting on the sides of the boat. They closely monitor what is happening under water and, as soon as they notice a gaping fish, they slip into the water and grab it. And in order for the birds not to swallow large prey, they put on small collars. Pelicans swim up to the owner, open their beaks, give away large fish, and in return receive small ones.

Alas, most fishermen do not like pelicans. For them, these birds are competitors. However, if we want to live in peace and harmony with nature, we need to realize that we need to share both food and a place to live with our “little brothers”.

general information

Distribution and habitats

Arrives at nesting sites very early, on average, in mid-March. In the Transcaucasus along Black Sea coast migratory birds, depending on spring, appear in late February - early March. They arrive in the Volga Delta in mid-March. Autumn departure begins late, in October-November.

The curly pelican winters mainly in Iran, Iraq and Pakistan, in the north-west of India and in southern China.

The main habitats of the pelican are river deltas rich in aquatic vegetation and fish, fresh and brackish lakes with thickets, islands of salt lakes devoid of surface vegetation.

Appearance and morphology

The figure of a curly pelican is very characteristic. It is very similar to a pink pelican, but somewhat larger - body length is about 180 cm, wingspan is up to 3.5 m, weight can reach 12–13 kg. Females are somewhat smaller than males. There are long “curly feathers” on the head, the naked space around the eye is small, and the forehead is feathered. The iris of the eye is light. The throat bag is yellow-orange, the paws are dark gray, the membrane, like that of other pelicans, connects all four fingers. The general coloration of the head, neck and body is light gray, the edges of the wings are dark, almost black.

The curly pelican walks on land in a waddle, when taking off it is repelled by two legs, sometimes it rises into the air only after several jumps. It flies very well, often soars. During the flight, the legs are stretched back, and the neck is bent, the head is laid on the back, and only the beak protrudes forward. It swims very well, keeps high on the water, so that the wings, which are clearly visible when folded, almost do not touch the water. It cannot dive: it fishes by submerging only its head, neck and front part of the body into the water. Despite its huge size, this bird can perch on trees, clasping a branch, pointing 3 fingers forward, the fourth back.

Feeding and feeding behavior

The food of pelicans is fish - carp, bream, perch, herring, silver bream, vobla, etc. Birds are happy to eat small fish, and quite large ones - weighing up to 3 kg. The prey is swallowed whole. The fish is digested completely with scales and bones.

Dalmatian pelicans, like other members of this family, often fish in families (a pair of birds with grown chicks) or groups of several families. Sometimes a large flock of two types of pelicans (curly and pink) and cormorants gather to fish. Unlike pink pelicans, curly ones fish not only in the shallows, but also in deep water. When a pelican fishes alone, it swims slowly, carefully peering into the water, and with a quick movement grabs a fish that swims close to the surface.

It is estimated that for 8 months of stay in the Volga delta, a pair of adult birds and two chicks eat 1080 kg of fish.

Lifestyle and social organization

The main activity of pelicans is confined to the morning and evening hours. Birds usually rest during the day.

Curly pelicans, like others, are “sociable” birds, they feel good only in a community of their own kind. They nest in small colonies, often together with pink pelicans. Non-breeding birds sometimes live close to the colony, but may fly quite long distances to more fishy grounds. The fact is that during nesting, priority in choosing a place is given to safety, and the reservoir may not be very rich in fish. In the post-nesting period, the main thing is the availability of food, and pelicans move to the most fish-rich reservoirs.

On flights, curly pelicans can gather in large flocks, depending on the number of these birds in each particular region. During the flight, they fly in a line, an elongated straight line, or a wavy line, keeping close to each other. And during flights, flocks are mixed with pink pelicans.

Vocalization

The sounds made by pelicans, deaf growling, growling and grunting, are very low. Pelicans "sound" mainly in the nesting colony, the rest of the time the birds are mostly silent. The voices of pink and curly pelicans are similar.

Reproduction and education of offspring

Pelicans arrive at nesting sites around mid-March. Apparently, the couples are mostly constant, but the showy mating ritual is repeated annually. Birds alternately take off, trample next to each other, uttering a kind of grunt, rub their beaks. Dalmatian pelicans build their nests mainly on creases and quagmire reeds. The nest can be located directly near open water or among reed beds at some distance from it. Dalmatian pelicans nest in colonies, usually of several dozen pairs or 4–5 pairs. Nests are not located close to each other, but at a distance of several meters. Sometimes there are colonies together with pink pelicans. In this case, curly pelicans are located along the edge of the colony.

The place for the nest is chosen by the female, she builds it. But here the nesting material (grass, reeds, branches) is brought in the beak by the male. During the day, he manages to bring building materials up to 40 times. It happens that pelicans from different nests steal nesting material from each other, as a result of which fights break out. The construction of the nest lasts 3-4 days, and as a result, a high, trampled heap mixed with droppings is obtained. The diameter of the nest is about 1.5 m, almost the same height; by the end of the nesting period, the entire structure settles.

Clutching starts from the end of April, and in the nests of one colony occurs in different time. The female usually lays 2-3 eggs. white color weighing 143–195 g, which the parents incubate in turn, but, as a rule, the female spends more time on the nest. Incubation lasts 39–40 days and begins with the laying of the first egg, so the chicks in the nest are of different ages.

They hatch naked, blind, with pink skin. Only on the 5th day do rare fluffs appear, and gradually the chick is overgrown with white fluff. Babies grow very quickly and reach the size of an adult bird even in a cover of downy feathers, by 2 months. They begin to swim at the age of 7–10 days and, frightened, splash to the water. By the age of one month, fly feathers grow in them, and the body begins to be covered with "adult" feathers. At 2.5 months, young birds begin to fly.
At first, the parents feed the chicks with semi-digested fish, which they get from the goiter and throat pouch. While the chicks are small, they almost hide in the parent's beak while feeding. This spectacle is so impressive that it was the impetus for the creation of the legend of the pelican feeding its chicks with its own insides. Pelicans do not fly far for food, preferring to fish near the colony. Young people, having risen on the wing, together with their parents, begin to lead a nomadic lifestyle, moving to more fodder reservoirs. These birds become sexually mature in the third year of life.

Lifespan

In captivity, pelicans live up to 30 years, in nature - less.

Dalmatian Pelicans at the Moscow Zoo

Dalmatian pelicans live in the same group with pink pelicans in the New Territory of the Zoo: in winter - in the "Birds, Butterflies" pavilion, in summer - on a small pond next to the pavilion. For more than ten years they did not breed, the first eggs were laid only in the early spring of 2012. Pelicans were restless, and ornithologists took the eggs to the incubator, fearing that the birds would inadvertently break them. And so, on March 27, a joyful event finally happened - a healthy strong chick hatched. They called him Matvey and, perhaps, not every little man deserves such care and attention as this baby. Therefore, as it happens with people, Matvey grew up capricious and spoiled.

When the time came to introduce him to his relatives, he did not immediately understand that they were his relatives. Animals raised by people often have altered behavior - they understand their adoptive parents better than real ones. Pelicans surrounded Matvey, preparing to accept him into their friendly flock. The chick was very interested in the tails of large unfamiliar birds. After several attempts by the newcomer to pluck feathers from adult birds, the pelicans began to avoid the bully. And Matvey, not at all embarrassed, felt like the owner of the pond. The relatives did not offend him, but shunned him, and Matvey spent the first year in some suspension.

Having matured, our hero continues to be very independent, but more and more often he rests next to other pelicans. He loves to play very much - the most miscellaneous items: branches, pebbles. Sometimes it chases ducks - it catches it in its beak net, holds it and releases it. The duck, of course, does not like it at all - it flies away with a loud quack. But most of all Matvey loves balls. Therefore, when a new nesting season begins, adult birds have to "keep both eyes" so that this "cute naughty" can not play with laid eggs.

Since 2012, Dalmatian Pelicans have been breeding regularly. Matvey's girlfriend is growing up, and he is already beginning to show interest in her.

Pelicans on the pond can be seen until late autumn, only when the water begins to freeze, they go to winter. They cannot fly, but they walk in a friendly crowd along a fenced-off corridor to a warm room. They are fed twice a day, and curly pelicans prefer herring, and pink pelicans prefer carps.

Nestling Matvey

The Dalmatian Pelican gets its name from the unusual "mane" on the back of its neck. large bird listed in the Red Book of the Russian Federation as an endangered species.

The regional population of the Dalmatian Pelican is listed in the Red Book Russian Federation to the category "In dangerous condition". Birds are a rare species, the number of which is rapidly declining.

Short description

Body size: from 150 to 180 centimeters.

Weight: 9-12 kilograms.

Wingspan: up to 2 meters.

Plumage: plain, white with a gray tint. Adult birds have long curled feathers on the back of the head and upper neck. The juvenile has its first black flight feathers.

Sexual difference is determined only by body size - females are smaller than males.

The beak is large, brown-yellow. Underneath is a throat pouch. Its hue can change from yellow to red-orange during the mating season.

The legs of a curly pelican are gray, with membranes.

habitats

The curly pelican has a wide distribution area: from the Kurgan region of the Russian Federation to the Balkan Peninsula. The bird nests in a chaotic, mosaic order. In winter, it lives in Iran, in the south of China or in the West of India. In a small number of pelicans can be found on the shores of the Caspian Sea.

In Russia, pelicans of this species are found in the deltas of the Volga and Terek rivers, on Lake Manych-Gudilo, in the Krasnodar Territory, the North Caucasus, Dagestan, Kalmykia, Rostov, Astrakhan, Omsk, Tomsk and Tyumen regions. The regional range of the species includes firth-flooded areas (Eastern Sea of ​​Azov and Taman Peninsula).

For settlement, curly pelicans choose river valleys, shallow islands, hard-to-reach lakes. Places are chosen with dense aquatic vegetation and rich in fish to provide themselves with the necessary food.

Population size and factors affecting it

The state of the population in the Krasnodar Territory is assessed as stable. The total number of birds at the end summer period has about 5 thousand individuals.

In the 19th and 20th centuries, a sharp depression in the number of birds of this species was observed. This was due to the reduction in the area of ​​water bodies suitable for their existence. A large number of territories was mastered by man and became unsuitable for the life of pelicans. The population has also significantly decreased due to poaching of birds and the collection of eggs.

The number is limited by an insufficient food supply and low reproductive capacity of individuals. Each clutch contains 2-3 eggs instead of 4-5. Hatching period - 39-40 days. Young pelicans become winged at the age of 10 weeks. The average survival rate is 1.5-2 chicks for every pair of adult birds.

In order to protect the endangered species of curly pelicans, measures have been taken to prohibit economic and industrial activities near bird settlements. Trapping for nurseries is limited, and hunting for adults is prohibited.