About Pelicans and Relatives (Order Pelecaniformes): Nesting

Pelecaniform birds (pelicans, ibis, herons, and spoonbills) usually nest in groups on islands or other isolated places. Colonies can number in the thousands, making for crowded nesting areas. Pelecaniforms tend to live a long time, and some return to the same nesting sites year after year. Individuals may even pair with the same mate again. Using twigs, aquatic plants, or other materials gathered by the male, the female builds a nest, sometimes just a few inches from nests of other females. The parents take turns incubating the eggs. They transfer heat from their bodies by wrapping their four webbed toes around the eggs. Pelecaniform chicks are typically born helpless and naked, and take a long time to mature (seven months in some species). Both parents care for them, feeding them with regurgitated fish and other food. Even after the chicks can fly, parents continue to provide food while the chicks learn hunting skills.