 Pelicans are gregarious and nest colonially . Pairs are monogamous for a single season , but the pair bond extends only to the nesting area ; mates are independent away from the nest . The ground @-@ nesting ( white ) species have a complex communal courtship involving a group of males chasing a single female in the air , on land , or in the water while pointing , gaping , and thrusting their bills at each other . They can finish the process in a day . The tree @-@ nesting species have a simpler process in which perched males advertise for females . The location of the breeding colony is constrained by the availability of an ample supply of fish to eat , although pelicans can use thermals to soar and commute for hundreds of kilometres daily to fetch food . 
