Let's talk about pelicans

[Aramar]

Let's talk about pelicans! There are several species of pelicans and zoos have different types of them. So, what pelican would you like to get?

-great white pelican
-Dalmatian pelican
-brown pelican
-Australian pelican
-other

Personally I would choose the great white pelican since it covers 3 continents, but I would be ok with any species. Maybe even two, one white and one brown.

 

[yoav_r]

I vote great white pelican, but I'd love variety, same way I'd like another flamingo species

 

[Veah]

I kinda prefer the looks of the brown pelican, but it's true that great white (or Dalmatian) would be more useful to represent different continents. So just like gibbons (or geckos or chamaleons in exhibits) I wouldn't mind that much which species we get, but we should get one representative of the group, it's very needed.

 

[Mjmannella]

My personal favourite pelican is the Australian species, with brown pelicans as a close second. I’d love to see either one in PZ!

 

[SalamAnders]

If we only get one species I would also go with the great white pelican. Definitely wouldn't mind two species and if that happens the brown as the second one seems like a good option.

 

[Markiz]

In my opinion Australian is prettiest, so I would go with it. Also it boosts Aussie representation

 

[EvanBear]

Pelicans are evil, they are the spawn of satan and I would love to have them in my zoo. Great white would be the most common one so I vote for that one.

 

[Cotolorynchuseggs]

The one I want the most is a 3-way tie between the great white, brown, and dalmatian.

 

[nutrit]

I’d like to have all of them

 

[Anthracite_Impreza]

I have no particular preference so whichever is most requested, but I will always back more dinosaurs.

 

[Orque41]

Pink-Backed Pelican It's my favourite

 

[Khaidu]

Just as long as it isn't in an Australia pack. We have so many more unique Australian only bird species that deserve a spot than an animal that are found on other continents.

 

[Cynogale bennettii II]

I would absolutely love to have a pelican of some kind - it's up there among my most-wanted birds. These are my rough rankings for each of the seven species, from most to least desired:

1. Great white pelican
2. Dalmatian pelican

The top two quite often change position - both are fairly widespread across Eurasia, with the great white also breeding in Africa. The great white has more biome spread and perhaps looks 'smarter' with its white plumage (the Dalmatian, by contrast, has duller greyish-white feathers) but the Dalmatian in turn has size on its side and a stronger link to Europe - they bred as far west as Britain until Roman times and there are increasing discussions about reintroducing them here. These are the two most commonly-kept pelican species in Europe, although the great white is considerably more common than the Dalmatian.

3. Pink-backed pelican

This is another quite commonly-kept pelican species, almost exclusive to Africa (other than a small breeding population in southwest Arabia); they are fairly small and are often a 'beginner' pelican kept by smaller parks.

4. Peruvian pelican
5. Brown pelican

The two marine pelicans come next - the Peruvian just pips the brown pelican by being slightly more colourful, with its brilliant orange-yellow-blue bill, silvery wings and bold black and cream head and neck; the Peruvian is also significantly bigger than the brown pelican (I was quite surprised to find the brown pelican is the smallest of all the pelicans). Neither species is commonly seen in captivity in Europe.

6. Australian pelican
7. Spot-billed pelican
8. American white pelican

In captivity, these are all extremely rare (certainly by European standards) and would be niche replacements for more widespread species - I would rather have the great white pelican than either the Australian or American white and the spot-billed pelican is essentially the Southeast Asian equivalent of the pink-backed.

 

[TheYeti]

I was always a big supporter of the great white pelican, but I'm currently leaning towards the brown pelican. Even having two species wouldn't be bad. In any case, I'm happy this topic exists because in my view, as I expressed too many times, pelicans are the most needed animals in the game.

 

[NZFanatic]

Either the great white or the Australian for me, but I'd also take either of the others.

 

[nutrit]

If we would ever get regular birds animal pack I would be completely satisfied if there would only a any Pelican and Shoebill in it.

 

[Antimony96]

The two marine pelicans come next - the Peruvian just pips the brown pelican by being slightly more colourful, with its brilliant orange-yellow-blue bill, silvery wings and bold black and cream head and neck; the Peruvian is also significantly bigger than the brown pelican (I was quite surprised to find the brown pelican is the smallest of all the pelicans). Neither species is commonly seen in captivity in Europe.

The flipside of this is that brown pelicans are, to my knowledge, quite common in North American zoos, though most are rescue animals that can't be released into the wild. The "neutral" answer would be the pink-backed pelican, which is common in both North America and Europe, though my personal preferences are with the brown.

The silver lining is that modding all other pelican species out of just one would be very easy!

 

[Alexjh]

I lean Dalmatian, on account of them being the largest and what I picture when someone says Pelican.

That said, Peruvian is also a super striking bird.

 

[hudsonbear]

I would love a pelican. Great White would be my preference but I'd be happy with any.

 

[coatifan]

I love all of these species, and though one of the more widespread pelicans would probably be a more useful and beautiful addition... my American patriotism demands that I at least give the brown pelican a chance. A pretty enough bird, could be kept with sea lions or seals (like at the National Zoo), and fits well into most New World coastal themes: Galapagos, California, Louisiana, Florida, the Caribbean, the Northeast, and even the coasts of Central America, Mexico, and northern South America.