Pelicans have been a fixture of St James's Park since the time of Charles II, with their fishy lunchtime time a major attraction for visitors. And all of a sudden, there are more mouths beaks to feed.
For the first time in the park's history, chicks have been born in the park. Back in the spring, the park's six Great White pelicans — Isla, Tiffany, Gargi, Sun, Moon and Star — began displaying mating and nesting behaviours, arriving for feeding in groups of three, suggesting they were taking turns to incubate eggs. They were also eating more fish. Then, three nests were discovered.
In the photo above, you can see the chicks — who are yet to be named — with their black/grey downy feathers, which in time will whiten.
Says the park's punning manager, Mark Wasilewski: "I am truly thrilled to welcome the four young chicks to St. James's Park — it’s a real 'beak-through' moment in over 360 years of the park hosting pelicans.
"I can't wait to watch their antics as they grow and join the wider flock and develop their own distinct characters."
Most importantly, Wasilewski added: "We have increased the feeding for the pelicans, so they have all the fish they need."
The chicks are one month old and currently being protected in an area that's off-limits to visitors. At around nine to 12 weeks old, they'll join the older pelicans, becoming the park's latest feathered attraction.
Visitors to the park should not approach or disturb the extremely vulnerable chicks, and dogs must be kept on leads on the path around St. James's Park lake.
