Four pelican chicks hatch in St James’s Park in central London, marking the first recorded breeding there in more than 360 years. The birds were originally introduced to the park in 1664, when a Russian ambassador gave King Charles II two pelicans as a gift. Since then, pelicans have lived in the park, but sources say they had not previously produced chicks there.
BBC reports that four chicks have hatched at the park. The Guardian adds that the pelicans arrived shortly before the Great Fire of London and highlights that the birds have only now shown courtship and breeding behaviour that results in offspring. Together, the reports describe the event as a milestone for the long-established pelican population in the royal park.
No sources provided additional details about the parents or the incubation period, but all agree on the location, the approximate 360-year timeframe without breeding, and the number of chicks that have hatched.
