Pelican vs. Stork — What's the Difference?

Bird primarily found near aquatic habitats.

A tall wading bird with long legs and neck.

Member of the family Pelecanidae.

Often seen in wetlands and grassy regions.

Known for cooperative fishing techniques.

Member of the family Ciconiidae.

Often nests on the ground or low vegetation.

Recognized for its silent flight without vocalization.

A large water bird with a distinctive pouch under its bill.

Builds large nests atop elevated platforms.

Pelicans are a genus of large water birds that make up the family Pelecanidae. They are characterized by a long beak and a large throat pouch used for catching prey and draining water from the scooped-up contents before swallowing.

Storks are large, long-legged, long-necked wading birds with long, stout bills. They belong to the family called Ciconiidae, and make up the order Ciconiiformes .

Any of various large, web-footed birds of the genus Pelecanus primarily of tropical and warm regions, having a long straight bill from which hangs a distensible pouch of skin used for catching and holding fish.

Any of various large wading birds of the family Ciconiidae, having long legs and a long straight bill.

Any of various seabirds of the family Pelecanidae, having a long bill with a distendable pouch.

A large wading bird with long legs and a long beak of the family Ciconiidae.

A native or resident of the American state of Louisiana.

(children's folklore) The mythical bringer of babies to families, or good news.

A retort or still having a curved tube or tubes leading back from the head to the body for continuous condensation and redistillation.

(cartomancy) The seventeenth Lenormand card.

(dentistry) A set of forceps used to force overcrowded teeth apart.

Any one of several species of large wading birds of the family Ciconidæ, having long legs and a long, pointed bill. They are found both in the Old World and in America, and belong to Ciconia and several allied genera. The European white stork (Ciconia alba) is the best known. It commonly makes its nests on the top of a building, a chimney, a church spire, or a pillar. The black stork (C. nigra) is native of Asia, Africa, and Europe.

Any large webfooted bird of the genus Pelecanus, of which about a dozen species are known. They have an enormous bill, to the lower edge of which is attached a pouch in which captured fishes are temporarily stored.

Large mostly Old World wading birds typically having white-and-black plumage

A retort or still having a curved tube or tubes leading back from the head to the body for continuous condensation and redistillation.

Large long-winged warm-water seabird having a large bill with a distensible pouch for fish

While fish are their primary diet, pelicans can consume other small aquatic animals.

Yes, many stork species are migratory, traveling vast distances.

Pelicans are found on all continents except Antarctica.

It's a popular folklore, but storks don't deliver babies.

Yes, pelicans can float thanks to air sacs in their bodies.

They use vocalizations and body gestures, especially during breeding.

Yes, they often live and hunt in groups.

The pouch acts as a net, not storage. They'll drain water and swallow the fish.

Some nests can grow to over 6 feet in diameter, used year after year.

It's believed to conserve body heat and energy.

Yes, in many cultures, storks symbolize fertility and good luck.

In the wild, they can live up to 15-25 years.

No, stork species vary in color, including black, white, and grey.

Storks consume a variety of prey, from fish to frogs, insects, and small mammals.

There are 8 species of pelicans and 19 species of storks.