Pelecanidae

9.9

A family of large water birds that eat fish and have long bills and big throat pouches

noun
/ˌpɛlɪˈkænɪdi/

Specialized

: pelícano

Members of Pelecanidae are easily recognized by their long bills and throat pouches.

Examples

Known for their long bills, the members of Pelecanidae display unique adaptations for catching fish.
The family Pelecanidae includes some of the world's largest flying birds.
Scientists have conducted extensive research on the feeding habits of Pelecanidae.
The Pelecanidae family includes several species of pelicans.
Did you know that Pelecanidae are known for their unique throat pouches?
The family of large water birds known as Pelecanidae is popular for their impressive size and distinctive features.
Birdwatchers often flock to wetlands to observe the feeding behaviors of Pelecanidae, particularly during migration seasons.

Synonyms

pelican

vsPelecanidae

23 2.4

A large water bird with a long beak and a pouch for catching fish

refers to the whole family grouping of such birds rather than one bird

family Pelecanidae

vsPelecanidae

Specialized

8.5

A group of large water birds with a big throat pouch used for catching fish

has identical meaning but omits the explicit family label

Compounds

family Pelecanidae

Specialized

8.5

A group of large water birds with a big throat pouch used for catching fish

Surface Forms

Pelecanidae singular

Pelecanidae plural

Morphology

Pelecanidae = pelican (opaque) = pelecan + idae

Formed by adding the technical taxonomic suffix '-idae' to the pelican stem; the suffix denotes a zoological family and is not transparently meaningful to an average B1 learner.

Etymology

Pelecanidae comes from an old Greek word pelekys meaning 'axe', because a pelican's long bill looks a bit like an axe head. The name is the family name used by scientists for the birds we call pelicans, large water birds with long bills and a big throat pouch.