In this quick tutorial you'll learn how to draw a Pelican in 9 easy steps - great for kids and novice artists.
The images above represent how your finished drawing is going to look and the steps involved.
Below are the individual steps - you can click on each one for a High Resolution printable PDF version.
At the bottom you can read some interesting facts about the Pelican.
Make sure you also check out any of the hundreds of drawing tutorials grouped by category.
How to Draw a Pelican - Step-by-Step Tutorial
Step 1: Start off by drawing the head, eyes and nose. Draw a half-circle with smaller circles inside for the eye and the nose.
Step 2: Next is the beak. First draw a long triangle with a straight line in the middle, then draw a large curved line underneath it.
Step 3: At the bottom of the head, draw the neck. Draw two long, slender and curved lines.
Step 4: Next, draw the pelican's body. Make two curved lines and leave space at the bottom for the tail.
Step 5: In the space, draw the tail feather and the bottom part of the body. The tail is short and pointy, like a small triangle.
Step 6: Now draw the first foot. Pelicans have webbed feet to help them swim, so don't forget to draw lines between the toes!
Interesting Facts about Pelicans
Pelicans are water birds that have webbed feet, large wings, and long bills. Attached to their bills are pouches, which they use to store fish when they catch them. These pouches can carry as much as three gallons of water!
Did you know?
- Pelicans live on every continent but Antarctica. They live in warm temperatures near bodies of water.
- The wingspan of a pelican is 10 feet.
- The average size of a pelican is about 6 feet tall, and the average weight is 10 to 17 pounds.
- Male pelicans are called cocks. Female pelicans are called hens. Baby pelicans are called chicks.
- Pelicans are very social birds. They fly together in one line. Sometimes they fly in a “V” formation.
- Pelicans flap their pouches to cool themselves off in hot weather.
- Pelicans have been on this planet for millions of years. Their fossils date back almost 40 million years.
- Adult pelicans can eat up to four pounds of fish a day.
There are eight species of pelicans: the spot-billed pelican, the Australian pelican, the Dalmatian pelican, the white pelican, the brown pelican, the Peruvian pelican, the great white pelican, and the pink-backed pelican. The largest of all is the Australian pelican.
How To Draw A Pelican – Step-by-Step Tutorial