10 Birds That Look Like Pelicans | American White Pelican
Do you know pelicans have strange, massive bills that can hold more than their bellies can? Not only pelicans, but storks, ibises, egrets, and spoonbills have weird-looking bills. If you’re a novice bird watcher, you may confuse pelicans with one of their similar birds.
So, you need to know which birds look like pelicans? American white pelican look-alike birds are Eurasian spoonbills, wood storks, white ibises, whooping cranes, great egrets, royal spoonbills, trumpeter swans, snow geese, and a few pelican species, including brown pelicans and Australian pelicans.
Are you willing to know about some loon and flamingo look-alike birds? I have recently written informative articles on these birds. After reading this article, you can take a look at those to learn their characteristics, similarities, and differences.
Now, let’s see the list of American white pelican look-alike birds below.
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Birds That Look Similar to American White Pelicans
01. Eurasian Spoonbill
Eurasian spoonbills are mainly found in Europe, particularly, the United Kingdom, Spain, Netherlands, Austria, Greece, and Hungary. These birds prefer muddy wetlands, marshes, rivers, lakes, flooded areas, and mangrove swamps. In winter, they’re usually available in estuaries, deltas, coastal lagoons, and tidal creeks.
#Characteristics
- Eurasian spoonbills have white plumage.
- They have dark legs and black bills with a yellow tip.
- They have small heads and S-curved necks.
- Breeding adults have a crest and a yellow patch throughout the breast.
- Their eyes are red and rounded.
#Similarities
Both Eurasian spoonbills and American white pelicans look similar in white plumage. Breeding Eurasian spoonbills have a crest and a yellow patch throughout the breast, almost the same as American white pelicans. Both birds have small heads compared to their body size.
#Differences
The most noticeable difference is Eurasian spoonbills have spoon-like bills, while American white pelicans have massive bills. American white pelicans have webbed feet, but Eurasian spoonbills have feet with multiple toes. While Eurasian spoonbills have long legs, American while pelicans have short legs.
02. Wood Stork
Wood storks are large American wading birds found in tropical and subtropical regions in the United States, Canada, the Caribbean, and most of South America. These birds prefer wetlands, ponds, and swamps. Besides, they’re colonial nesters, making nests in trees and shrubs.
#Characteristics
- Wood storks have white plumage with black flight feathers.
- They have football-shaped bodies and an enormous wingspan.
- They have a long, heavy bill curved at the tip.
- Their heads and necks are bald and scaly.
- The legs are long, and the eyes are black, rounded.
#Similarities
Both wood storks and American white pelicans are wading birds. In terms of white plumage, wood storks look similar to American white pelicans. These birds also have S-shaped necks and small heads, like American white pelicans. Both birds have black flight feathers.
#Differences
The bills of wood storks are smaller than those of American white pelicans. Apart from that, wood storks have bald and scaly heads, but American white pelicans have feathers on their heads (breeding adults have a crest). Wood storks don’t have webbed feet.
03. American White Ibis
American white ibises are found in the tropical regions of the United States, particularly in southern Florida. Their breeding areas are Central American countries, the Gulf and Atlantic Coast, and the coasts of Mexico. These birds are out there in freshwater marshes, mudflats, mangroves, coastal estuaries, flooded pastures, and swamps.
#Characteristics
- American white ibises have a football-shaped body and white plumage overall.
- They have long, brilliant reddish-pink legs.
- They have long, red & black, curved bills.
- They have black wingtips only visible in flight.
- Their eyes are pale blue surrounded by a bare patch of red skin.
#Similarities
Like American white pelicans, American white ibises have white plumage overall. Both birds have black wingtips only visible when they’re in flight. In addition, American white ibises have S-curved necks and small heads compared to their body size.
#Differences
American white pelicans are reddish around the eyes, but there is a bare patch of red skin around white ibises’ eyes. The most noticeable difference is American white pelicans are larger and have more massive bills than American white ibises. Besides, these birds have long legs, while American white pelicans have short legs.
04. Whooping Crane
Whooping cranes are the tallest wading birds in the United States. These birds are mostly found in many states, including Florida, Louisiana, Wisconsin, and more. They usually prefer shallow, grassy wetlands, coastal marshes, estuaries, and agricultural fields.
#Characteristics
- Whooping cranes are thoroughly bright white.
- They have long, dark, straight bills.
- They have a slight mustache stripe and a red crown on their heads.
- They have long, black legs and S-curved necks.
- The wingtips are black, only visible in flight.
#Similarities
Whooping cranes are similar to American white pelicans in terms of white plumage all over their bodies. Both birds have black wingtips, and they’re only visible when flying in the sky. Besides, whooping cranes have S-curved necks, almost the same as American white pelicans.
#Differences
When it comes to measuring body size, American white pelicans are much larger than whooping cranes. On the other hand, whooping cranes are taller than American white pelicans. They don’t look alike if you notice their bills well.
05. Great Egret
Great egrets, also known as great white herons, are common wading birds found in both saltwater and freshwater wetlands. These birds are out there in the tropical and warmer temperate regions of North America, southern Europe, Asia, and Africa. In winter, they roost with mixed species in trees and shrubs.
#Characteristics
- Great egrets have all-white plumage.
- They have all-white wings with a 4.5-foot wingspan.
- They have long, dagger-like, yellowish-orange bills.
- They have S-curved necks and small heads.
- Their legs and feet are entirely black.
#Similarities
Both great egrets and American white pelicans are wading birds. White plumage is the most noticeable similarity between these birds. Surprisingly, they have similar S-curved necks and small heads compared to their body structure.
#Differences
In terms of body size, American white pelicans are much larger than great egrets. While American white pelicans have shorter legs and webbed feet, great egrets have longer legs and feet with multiple toes and sharper nails.
06. Royal Spoonbill
Royal spoonbills are found in Australia, New Zealand, Papua New Guinea, Indonesia, and some southwestern Pacific islands. These birds prefer shallow saltwater and freshwater wetlands, along with mudflats, grasslands, inland waters, sewage lagoons, salt fields, and reservoirs.
#Characteristics
- Royal spoonbills have entirely white plumage.
- They have black, spoon-shaped bills with black facial skin and a yellow patch.
- Their legs and feet are long, black.
- Breeding adults have crests on the backside of the heads.
- Their underwings are bright pink.
#Similarities
First of all, both royal spoonbills and American white pelicans are wading birds. Royal spoonbills have overall white plumage, just like American white pelicans. Most importantly, both species have crests on the backside of their heads in the breeding season.
#Differences
Royal spoonbills are much smaller than American white pelicans. While royal spoonbills have spoon-shaped, black bills, American white pelicans have massive, yellow bills. Besides, royal spoonbills have a black and yellow patch on the face, but American white pelicans have slightly yellowish patches around the eyes.
07. Trumpeter Swan
Trumpeter swans are native to the United States and Canada. These birds are mainly available in many water bodies, including small ponds, estuaries, large lakes, and reservoirs. They’re often found in wet grassy areas and crop fields. They usually live in pairs for many years.
#Characteristics
- Trumpeter swans have heavy bodies and all-white plumage.
- They have entirely black bills with dark facial skin.
- They have long, S-shaped necks and black legs.
- Their heads and eyes are rounded and small.
- The white head can be rusty during the nesting season.
#Similarities
Trumpeter swans are similar to American white pelicans in white plumage. Both species have short, webbed feet and S-curved necks. In terms of body size and length, trumpeter swans rival American white pelicans.
#Differences
The most noticeable difference is trumpeter swans have shorter bills, but American white pelicans have longer, more massive bills. While American white pelicans have yellow bills and legs, trumpeter swans have entirely black bills and legs.
08. Snow Goose
Snow geese are native to the United States and Canada. These birds usually breed in the Arctic tundra, Canada, Alaska, Greenland, and northeastern Siberia. They prefer agricultural fields, plowed cornfields, wetlands, lakes, ponds, and marshes.
#Characteristics
- Snow geese have medium-size bodies and white plumage.
- They have black wingtips visible in flight.
- They have short, pink, hefty bills with a prominent grinning patch.
- Their necks are thick, S-curved, and the heads are small.
- Their legs are small, and the feet are webbed-shape.
#Similarities
Both snow geese and American white pelicans have white plumage with black wingtips visible in flight. Both species also have short legs and webbed feet. Besides, snow geese have S-curved necks, almost the same as American white pelicans.
#Differences
Snow geese are much smaller than American white pelicans. While snow geese have smaller bills, American white pelicans have larger, more massive bills. Also, you can easily notice a yellow patch around the eyes of American white pelicans.
09. Brown Pelican
Brown pelicans are one of three pelican species found in the United States. These birds are out there in the Atlantic Coast, the Pacific Coast, New Jersey, British Columbia, and northern Chile. They’re the national bird of Saint Kitts & Nevis and Barbados, and the official bird of Louisiana.
#Characteristics
- Brown pelicans have a white head with a yellowish patch on the crown.
- They have maroon–brown plumage.
- They have giant red bills and long, S-curved necks.
- They have long, broad wings and maroon-brown legs.
- Breeding adults of California have red skin on their stretchy throat pouch.
#Similarities
Both brown pelicans and American white pelicans belong to the same pelican family, Pelecanidae. These birds have look-alike body structures, bills, necks, heads, and eyes. Both species have short legs, webbed feet, and black wingtips.
#Differences
Brown pelicans are smaller than American white pelicans. While brown pelicans come with maroon-brown plumage, American white pelicans have entirely white plumage. Besides, American white pelicans have reddish-orange bills, but brown pelicans have bright red bills with a yellow tip.
10. Australian Pelican
Australian pelicans are large waterbirds found in coastal areas of Australia, New Zealand, Papua New Guinea, Indonesia, and Fiji. These birds have the longest bills in today’s world. Male Australian pelicans are slightly larger than females.
#Characteristics
- Australian pelicans are black in flight feathers, tails, and sides of the lower back.
- They have enormous pale pinkish bills.
- They have long, broad wings and white-grey necks.
- They have black-grey legs and webbed feet.
- Their eyes are surrounded by a yellow eye ring.
#Similarities
Both Australian pelicans and American white pelicans are in the same pelican family, Pelecanidae. Both species have look-alike body structures, bills, necks, heads, and eyes. Apart from that, Australian pelicans have short legs, webbed feet, and black wingtips, just like American white pelicans.
#Differences
Australian pelicans are usually larger than American white pelicans. While Australian pelicans have white plumage, they also have black plumage in most of their body. Besides, American white pelicans have reddish-orange bills, but Australian pelicans have pale pinkish bills.
Final Words
Now that you know the birds that look like pelicans, you can easily identify American white pelicans and their look-alike birds. In appearance, Australian pelicans and Eurasian spoonbills look quite confusing with American white pelicans.
However, other look-alike birds, like wood storks, American white ibises, whooping cranes, great egrets, and royal spoonbills can easily be identified. American white pelicans look similar to trumpeter swans when they’re swimming in the water.
Image Source:
- stock.adobe.com
