WINTERING POSITION AND FIRST RECORD OF BREEDING OF DALMATIAN PELICAN PELECANUS CRISPUS ON TIFF ISLAND IN KHORE MOSA IN PERSIAN GULF IN 2010

Dalmatian Pelican Pelecanus crispus was nesting in Parishan and Bakhtagan wetlands in Fars province in Iran until 2005. After drying these wetlands, the small breeding population of Pelecanus crispus (10-15 pairs) disturbed. There was no information about the breeding of this species in Iran until 2010. On the fifth of March 2010 I found a small breeding colony on Tiff Island, (30o 25'12" N 49o09'47"E) in Khore Mosa Creek in Persian Gulf. There were 6 nests; three of the nest had 3 eggs, two of them had 2 eggs and one of the nests had one egg. The Average weight of the eggs was 162 grams, average diameters of eggs was 93.66x63.20 mm, the average height of nests was 64.16cm and average diameter of nests was 54cm. Six females of the Dalmatian Pelican have been sited on the nest and six of them were feeding near the island about 200 meters far from the nests on the water. Area of the island is about 16 hectares, around of the island covered by Cyperus ssp, Lysium and Saueda vermiculata and Halopyrum mucronatum, but middle of the island is without any vegetation.