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THE WILSON JOURNAL OF ORNITHOLOGY • Vol. 124. No. 3. September 2012 
FIG. I. Sequence of Peruvian Pelican fledglings attacking a conspecific nestling. Algarrobo. central Chile. 27 March 
2010. Photographs by M. Daigre. 
RESULTS 
A group of five fully-grown pelican fledglings 
(ranging in age from 60 to 75 days) approached 
an unattended nest on 27 March 2010 containing a 
5-day old chick (Fig. I A). One of the fledglings 
seized the small chick by the neck (Fig. IB) and 
moved it 2-3 m from the nest by means of pecks. 
This action continued for 20 min and all 
aggressors participated simultaneously by pecking 
the small chick in different body parts. An adult 
Kelp Gull approached the group (Fig. 1C) and 
attempted to steal the small chick. Three pelican 
fledglings persisted in the aggression along with 
the gull (Fig. ID). Finally, the gull took over the 
small chick, killed and subsequently consumed it 
(Fig. IE). 
A group of four fully-grown fledglings (75 days 
of age) approached an unattended pelican nest on 
10 April 2010 containing three chicks, ranging in 
age from 5 to 10 days. The aggressors unsuccess¬ 
fully attempted to grab the smallest chick and pull 
it Irom the nest and subsequently aborted ihe 
aggression. No photographic records are available 
for this event. 
A group of five fully-grown pelican fledglings 
(age 60 days) on 19 April 2011 approached an 
unattended pelican nest which contained a single 
5-day old chick. One of the fledglings seized the 
small chick by the head (Fig. 2A) and moved it a 
few meters front the nest (Fig. 2B). Subsequently, 
three more fledglings (age 75 days) joined the 
group along with a Kelp Gull: the latter attempted 
to steal the chick (Fig. 20. but the fledglings 
chased the gull from the group (Fig. 2D). Shortly 
after, a 60-day of age pelican grabbed the chick 
and placed it into its gular pouch (Fig. 2E) and 
