A wildlife rehabilitation center has released a video demonstrating what a pelican actually sounds like, and it’s like nothing we’ve ever heard before. Instead of the typical chirp, cluck, or squawk we often associate with birds, the large waterfowl emitted something more akin to a dinosaur’s screech! In the caption of their clip, the Clinic for the Rehabilitation of Wildlife (CROW) jokingly called their feathered patient a pterodactyl. However, they clarified that the bird was really a brown pelican.
According to Cornell Lab’s All About Birds, brown pelicans aren’t all that vocal most of the time. However, they do tend to speak up when dramatically flapping their wings — which the bird in the video appears to be doing. This action actually drags a gruff sound out of the pelican. Another situation that might cause this waterbird to make noise would be if someone were attacking their nest.
When it comes to bird sounds, pelicans aren’t the only feathered animals that will surprise you. New Zealand’s kiwi birds also have a strange call that harkens back to prehistoric times!
Watch the video below to hear the bizarre sound a brown pelican makes.
You can find the source of this story’s featured image here.
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