pelicans
n. countable B2 Upper Intermediate US //ˈpɛɫɪkənz// UK //pˈɛlɪkənz// pel·i·cans
n. large water birds with a very long beak and a big throat pouch used for catching fish.
n. large aquatic birds of the family Pelecanidae, characterized by a long beak and a large throat pouch used for scooping up prey and draining water.
The pelicans sit on the pier waiting for fish.
We watched the pelicans dive into the ocean to fill their pouches with small fish near the shore.
Unlike many other seabirds that hunt from the air, some species of pelicans hunt cooperatively by swimming in a horseshoe formation to herd fish into shallower water.
Usage
The plural form is typically 'pelicans', though 'pelican' can occasionally be used as a collective plural in specific biological contexts.