During the breeding season, the pouch and beak take on brilliant hues. The colour change can be so dramatic that the birds may be mistaken to be different species.
Beak colour also plays an important part in chick-raising. A bright orange bump on the adult pelican’s beak attracts the chicks’ attention and they peck at it. This causes the parent to regurgitate a nutritious liquid, which flows along the colourful bump, stimulating the chicks to start taking food.