Pelicans ( 1 of 2 )

Wording of this Handout:

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When God made the birds, He made one of them large and awkward, with flat feet and a beak with a bag attached. . . the pelican!

How does the pelican catch fish? It flies above the water until it sees a fish, then it makes itself into a sharp shape, like a jet, and dives into the water. It then opens its beak and catches the fish, like a fisherman scooping something with a net.

How does the pelican stay dry? It has oil which it collects from an oil gland and then spreads it all over its feathers with its beak. The oil stops water from soaking into the feathers.

Baby pelicans are born with no feathers at all. Three days after they hatch they grow a soft, warm down, like a fluffy jersey.