co a weight of 9 - 13 (rare) kg and 70 -77 cm of wing-length, in accordance with a span up to 2,8 m, are Kraus-head-pelicans the biggest pelicans. From approximately 170-180 cm of total-length, the beak alone takes up 39 - 45 cm. Female birds remain somewhat smaller than the males.
Spread The spread-area of the Kraus-head-pelican extends from southeast-Europe to the Iran and the Mongolia today. In Europe, this white pelican only broods in the Danube-delta as well as at some smaller seas, approximately in Macedonia. In Central Europe, the Kraus-head-pelican was wiped out by the human being, that gathered the eggs in big scope, already in historic time. In Europe, one only estimates the continuance at approximately 1000 pairs. Here, assorted brood-colonies with pink-pelicans, of whom Kraus-head-pelicans distinguish through both its mane-nicely extended head and neck-feathers and through the more silver-gray tinge of the plumage for itself, exist. At the beginning of the incubation, a long feather-mop of hair refines at the rear-head.
Zugverhalten To the winter, Kraus-head-pelicans of the northern brood-areas move into the south of the spread-area as well as as far as at the Nile and the coasts of west-Pakistan and China. In Europe, these pelicans don't roam during the incubation as far as pink-pelicans and only rarely leaves the nearer surroundings of the colonies. Only to the haul, Kraus-head-pelicans fly also further routes (up to 50 km) to quiet, flat seas or in favorable weather also at the Meeresküste.
Food The food consists mainly of Schleien, carps and Karauschen in the brood-area while catfish should be carried off mainly in the hibernation-area.
Reproduction The nests of the Kraus-head-pelicans stand to each other (approximately 50-110 cm from middle of middle) in narrow neighborhood and are usually erected by both brood-partners on the last year's Nistplätzen. Pelicans live in monogamy. Individually standing, new-erected constructions can reach 1 m of height and 1,5 m of diameter without further. Against end of the incubation, the nests then low-stepped strongly. Kraus-head-pelicans like to put its nest-constructions in the reeds draws near at the open water at, so that they can along-swim densely and are with a jump on the dry. Also during the brood-business - both partners broods approximately 30-32 (occasionally until 42)!) Days-long - pelicans still widen its nest; the main-construction-time lasts approximately for 8 days.
Like its relatives, Kraus-head-pelicans are sensitively during the brood against disturbances and often leave nest and nests also without recognizable occasion. Beginning of May, the bare and blind boys slip. Soon however, its eyes open, only with 2-3 days, they can hold upright its heavy head with difficulty, however. Initially, the parents choke anverdaute food on the nest; only later, the fish get the young pelicans directly for itself from the pharynx of the alto-birds, with what its head vanishes completely in the parental Kehlsack together with beak.
After 2-3 weeks, the boys leave the nest and meet in the colony-middle, where also it, together-pushed narrowly, nächtigen. After 4-5 weeks, they already escape with danger on the open water together, and with 10 -11 weeks finally is left itself it largely by the adult pelicans. they swim on the free water around and exercise the fishing; only rarely, the parents feed its boys (then also on the water). To its colony, the pelicans only come back to sleeping; the squabs became independent in the age of 14 -15 weeks finally, and the colony dissolves slowly.
Usually only one single squab comes highly from a nest, many nests go even completely lost. Especially the first life-week is, as with most birds, very critical; if Kraus-head-pelicans first attained its independence, so they gain a quite high age very likely. With exception of the human being, they have only few enemies.
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