Pelicans store water in their mouth pouch to help regulate their body temperature during periods of high heat and to aid in the digestion of their prey.
The pelican's buccal pouch primarily serves to catch prey, mainly fish. Like an integrated net, it inflates with water to facilitate capture. Then, it allows the pelican to easily sort: it expels the water and keeps the fish trapped at the bottom. This ultra-flexible pouch can hold up to several liters of water, sometimes more than the bird's stomach itself. And beware of confusion: the pelican never keeps fish in it for later; it does not serve to store food long-term. It also plays an important role in thermoregulation, helping the bird regulate its body temperature in high heat. Finally, the pelican uses this pouch for social behaviors, such as displays or dominance demonstrations among peers.
When a pelican spots its prey, it dives with its beak wide open to the surface of the water. There, its flexible pouch quickly fills with water and fish. The pelican then lifts its head, allowing the water to drain slowly through the edges of its closed beak, thanks to a controlled contraction of the muscles in its pouch. This clever method allows it to easily trap fish and crustaceans in its beak without letting them escape with the water. Then, once all the water has drained, it can calmly swallow its meal. This mechanism works somewhat like a flexible integrated net, very effective for quick fishing and sorting between water and food.
Pelicans use their oral pouch as a sort of air conditioning system. After filling their pouch with water, they can gently flap it or let the heat evaporate through the thin skin that makes it up. This allows the pelican to cool off quickly when temperatures rise. It's a bit like splashing your face with water on a hot day: the evaporation creates an immediate cooling sensation. By managing the amount of water stored, they can precisely adjust their body temperature. Handy when spending hours in the sun looking for food.
Pelicans often use their pouch to send visual signals to others. During breeding seasons, males display their pouch by inflating it to show their good health and impress females. They make small head movements, kind of parades, with a taut, protruding pouch. This allows potential partners to easily spot the strongest and most attractive individuals. Similarly, when disputes arise, a pelican can open its beak wide and inflate its pouch to intimidate a rival and calmly assert its dominance without necessarily needing to fight directly. Essentially, the pouch is also a true means of communication for them.
Pelicans have evolved with an extensible oral pouch that is quite handy for fishing. This adaptation allows them to quickly catch large amounts of water and fish in one go, and then calmly sort through their catch. Their highly elastic and strong skin stretches like a giant bag and easily supports the weight of the captured water. Another practical detail is that the bones of their lower jaw are specially adapted to bear this weight without breaking. In short, their pouch is a true evolutionary innovation, perfect for their aquatic hunting technique.
The pelican's bill pouch can hold up to three times more liquid than its stomach, allowing it to efficiently capture fish and water in just a few seconds.
The tissue of the buccal pouch is extremely elastic, but also vulnerable. This is why pelicans spend a lot of time maintaining and cleaning their pouch after each fishing session.
Contrary to popular belief, pelicans do not store fish in their bill pouch for long periods; instead, they primarily use it to quickly capture prey and expel excess water before swallowing their meal.
Pelicans sometimes perform strange movements with their oral pouch to stretch and maintain the flexibility of the tissue, thus ensuring that this tool remains effective during hunting.
Sure! Here’s the translation: "Yes, although they generally do not bring food directly in their pouch, adult pelicans regurgitate partially digested food for their chicks. The pouch also serves to carry food to their young when they fish far from their nest."
Yes, the buccal pouch is a thin and flexible structure that can occasionally suffer injuries or tears. However, it usually heals quite quickly due to its good blood supply.
No, the water stored in their buccal pouch is mainly expelled after they capture fish. They expel the water before swallowing their prey to avoid excessive ingestion of saltwater or freshwater.
A pelican can store up to about ten liters of water in its oral pouch. This significant capacity helps it catch several fish at the same time.
No, the size and capacity of the throat pouch vary by species of pelicans. For example, the brown pelican has a relatively smaller throat pouch than the white pelican or the curly pelican, which have larger ones.
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