Adults chocolate brown with white underwing coverts and belly. Sexes distinguishable by face, bill, and leg color. These parts are yellow in females and are grayish green in males, which in addition, have a bluish throat. Juveniles have plumage similar to adults except tte belly and under wing covert color is light brown.
Not Threatened.
Adults chocolate brown with white underwing coverts and belly. Sexes distinguishable by face, bill, and leg color. These parts are yellow in females and are grayish green in males, which in addition, have a bluish throat. Juveniles have plumage similar to adults except tte belly and under wing covert color is light brown.
Length: 71-76cm; wingspan: 137-145 cm; life span: max. known age 16 years.
Taxonomy:
- Pelecanus Leucogaster Boddaert, 1783, Cayenne. Known to have hybridized with S. dactylatra and these two species evidently very close; juvenile dactylatra closely resembles present species. Subspecies brewsteri formerly considered a full species. Four subspecies recognized. (source: Handbook of the Birds of World)
Subspecies and Distribution:
- * leucogaster (Boddaert, 1783) - – Caribbean and tropical Atlantic. * plotus (J. R. Forster, 1844) - – Red Sea and W Indian Ocean to C Pacific. * brewsteri Goss, 1888 - – NE tropical Pacific. * etesiaca Thayer & Bangs, 1905 - – CE Pacific.
Strictly marine. Feeds mostly on inshore waters. Not commonly seen sitting on water. Nest on bare, rocky island or coral atolls, preferably on cliffs or slopes.
Feeds by plunging head first into the water from the air. Usually forages near shore, often within 80 km of breeding grounds. Solitary feeder. Primary prey item is flying fish. Feeding generally occurs during daylight hours.
Breeding season occurs between March and November. Breeds colonially. Nests are located on the ground and consist of a shallow depression surrounded by twigs or other vegetation. On average of two chalky white eggs are layed. Lacks brood patch and instead incubates with feet. Parents share incubation duties. Average incubation shift is 12 hours. Incubation period averages 43 days. Siblicide exhibited by chicks. The first egg hatches several days before the second. The first chick to hatch ejects the second chick from the nest shortly after it emerges from the egg. Chick feeding occurs on average once every 17 hours. Fledging occurs 85-103 days after hatching. Post-fledging care and feeding continues for one to two months. Do not move from colony.Young disperse widely.