The Dalmatian Pelican (Pelecanus crispus) is a bird of the order of Pelicans (Pelecaniformes). The bird is 160 to 180 centimetres long and has a wingspan of 270 to 350 centimetres. The Dalmatian Pelican resembles the pink Pelican. Both pelican species have a predominantly white plumage. The underside of the wings is almost entirely white, except for the edges of the flapping pins. In the pink pelican, the arm and hand pins are completely black, so the back of the underside of the wing is uniformly black, while the frizzy torque is lacking in black. The iris is light and the feathers on the crown are sloppily crimped (the pink pelican has a dark iris and the skin around the eye is pink and there is a neat white crest). The legs are grey (flesh-coloured on the pink pelican). The throat pocket is orange-red (yellow on the pink pelican) and offers plenty of room for food. The plumage is the same in both sexes. His food consists of fish, of which he needs at least 1 kg per day. The birds work together during the hunt by swimming in a semi-circle to drive the fish together, after which they are scooped up. In fresh water carp, perch, roach, rudd and pike are fished for and in salt and brackish water eel, hardeners, gobies and shrimps.
I am Maarten Verhees. The focus of my photographs is on the variation of architecture, animals and people. I try to capture the essence of local places in photographs... Read more…