πελεκάν

Greek pelekan (πελεκάν) appears to derive from pelekys (πέλεκυς), meaning 'axe.' The pelekys was a double-headed axe, and the word was applied to the woodpecker — a bird that chops wood with its beak like a tiny lumberjack. How the name migrated from the woodpecker to the pelican is unclear. One theory: both birds have conspicuously large bills used in a hammering motion. Another: ancient texts muddled the two.

The pelican gained an extraordinary mythology in early Christianity. The legend held that the pelican fed its young with blood from its own breast — stabbing itself with its beak to nourish its chicks. The image, called the 'Pelican in Her Piety,' became a symbol of Christ's sacrifice. It appeared on church carvings, coats of arms, and manuscript illuminations across medieval Europe.

The blood-feeding story is false, though not entirely baseless. Pelicans press their bills against their breasts to empty the pouch of food for their young. The Dalmatian pelican has a blood-red pouch during breeding season. From a distance, the combination could look like self-wounding. Medieval observers saw what their theology prepared them to see.

Latin pelicanus passed into every European language. English adopted pelican by the 1300s. Today eight species of pelican exist across every continent except Antarctica. The birds are ungainly on land, spectacular in the air, and ruthlessly efficient fishers. The Louisiana state flag still features the Pelican in Her Piety — a medieval myth on a modern government emblem.