pelican

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pel·i·can / ˈpelikən/ • n. a large gregarious waterbird (genus Pelecanus, family Pelecanidae) with a long bill, an extensible throat pouch for scooping up fish, and mainly white or gray plumage. Its six species include the white pelican (P. erythrorhynchos) of western and central North America, and the brown pelican (P. occidentalis) of northern and western South America and the southern US. ∎  a heraldic or artistic representation of a pelican, typically depicted pecking its own breast as a symbol of Christ.

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