Dalmatian Pelican
The Dalmatian pelican is the largest member of the pelican family, and perhaps the world's largest freshwater bird. They are elegant soaring birds, with wingspans that rival that of the great albatrosses, and their flocks fly in graceful synchrony. As with other pelicans, the males are larger than the females, and likewise their diet is mainly fish. They breed across the Palearctic from southeastern Europe to Russia, India and China in swamps and shallow lakes. They usually return to traditional breeding sites, where they are less social than other pelican species. Their nests are crude heaps of vegetation, which are placed on islands or on dense mats of vegetation.